DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 11/29/2006 Duedate: 12/12/2006
IAYE ARENA
DM-30 TURN-537
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
SUNLIGHT SPLATRZ
THE WARLOCKS (430)
(30-4583) [16-10-1,108]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
SUNLIGHT SPLATRZ POSITION IS EMPTY
THE WARLOCKS (430)
(30-4583) [16-10-1,108]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
WROTE THE BOOK SNOWY SNOW
GAMEHENDGE (299) CRYSTAL PALACE (435)
(30-4540) [23-22-0,95] (30-4597) [12-7-0,77]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
CIRCUS MAXIMUS (273)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. RED DOG GANG (356) 41
2. WORLDLY DECLINE (445) 37 HELLSWORN (450)
3. GAMEHENDGE (299) 27 Unchartered Team
4. HELLSWORN (450) 20
5. THE WARLOCKS (430) 16 (-1)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1- 1 I TRAINED THEM (331) 214 105 9 67.1 1/ 1 CIRCUS MAXIMUS (273) 12 2 0
2/ 2 HELLSWORN (450) 35 20 2 63.6 2/ 2 LENPROS (145) 11 4 0
3/ 3 THE WARLOCKS (430) 136 80 7 63.0 3/ 4 RED DOG GANG (356) 6 9 0
4/ 4 LENPROS (145) 913 596 25 60.5 4/ 8 WORLDLY DECLINE (445) 5 5 1
5/ 6 GAMEHENDGE (299) 153 133 10 53.5 5/ 5 THE WARLOCKS (430) 4 2 0
6/ 5 THE A'S -- LOSERS (431) 161 142 6 53.1 6/ 6 GAMEHENDGE (299) 4 5 0
7/ 0 RESCUE RANGERS II (385) 11 10 1 52.4 7/ 7 HELLSWORN (450) 3 2 0
8/ 7 CIRCUS MAXIMUS (273) 182 166 10 52.3 8/ 3 THE A'S -- LOSERS (431) 3 9 0
9/ 8 WORLDLY DECLINE (445) 22 22 1 50.0 9/ 0 CRYSTAL PALACE (435) 2 3 0
10/ 0 CRYSTAL PALACE (435) 83 85 1 49.4 10- 9 I TRAINED THEM (331) 1 1 0
11/ 0 RANDOM (391) 22 24 0 47.8 11/ 0 RANDOM (391) 1 2 0
12/ 9 RED DOG GANG (356) 465 632 10 42.4 12/ 0 RESCUE RANGERS II (385) 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[ Cities by the Shore #3 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Point:
The afternoon was bright, windy, and rather cold when the ferry nudged into its
dock on the south side of the Point peninsula. The docking and warehousing
facilities had a make-shift air about them, though they had been in use for several
years now, since the rising of Krael to the north of the peninsula had made the old
port useless. A shanty town had grown up around the dock and warehouses.
Old Doc Circ squinted at the huddle of buildings. "I didn't expect so many
people here," he said. "Two months ago when I was over here last--a matter of some
herbs that can only be picked on the slope above the Ogre's Tomb, you know--there was
not this crowding. To shelter that population, they must be sleeping ten to a bed!"
"Newly arrived," Senator Sedalia answered him. He studied the people he could
see. "Refugees, I know that look. Something must be happening--something more and
worse--over in Point, or in Krael. Only greed or fear would move so many people out
of their homes. These people are afraid."
"They have that look," Gissanniah admitted. "I'm not sure I want to know what
they're afraid of, but I suppose we have to find out?"
"Yes, and fix it," Sedalia said. "Properly speaking, that is a senator's true
task, to understand and solve the problems of his constituents." He paused and
grimaced. "Tedious, but true, and most of us do our best, you know." He squared his
shoulders, angled his jaw, and flicked an imaginary piece of lint off the lapel of
his suit. "As I shall do here and now."
"Fine words," Old Doc Circ grumbled. The ferry was rubbing up against its dock,
and the crew were busy with ropes and planks and all the paraphernalia of landing.
"Let's get to it, then, you filibustering scaliwag."
"'Bad vibes'?" Old Doc Circ's voice vibrated with outrage. "That's all they
can say, that Point is filling with 'bad vibes'?"
"They're not magicians or natural scientists," Gissanniah said, "so allow them a
little imprecision, okay? Save your wrath for them not being willing to rent or sell
horses to us!" She paused and leaned against a tree. The rise that separated the
southern shore of the peninsula from Point on the northern former shore didn't seem
like much... until you had to climb it on your own feet. "We're going to be so tired
when we GET there, we won't be able to DO anything."
"You exaggerate, my dear," the senator said. "We--"
"She doesn't exaggerate by much," Circ snapped. "You may find this a stroll in
the park, you young whippersnapper, but I am no spring chicken!"
"You were never a chicken." The senator snorted. "An old goat from birth,
that's you. Ah... have you any ideas? The refugees seemed to be in agreement that
the activities in Krael have a magical bias, and that is not my field of expertise."
The old alchemist shrugged. "Not really. I'm a scientist, not a high magician,
a blood sorcerer, a black necormancer, or what have you. No doubt one of THEM--
Fandil, for instance--could tell from here, just be the taste of the Arcanum, what
might be going wrong over there. We aren't more than a couple of miles away by now."
"Eclipse is there."
Everybody jumped. Stepharoo had been silent for so long, they'd forgotten her
presence.
Sedalia looked at her, one eyebrow raised. "Can you be sure, my dear? It IS
two miles yet, and there's the hill top blocking line of sight."
"I know he's there," she said. She began to walk faster. "And he needs my
help!"
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Cities by the Shore #4 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Krael:
The attackers were pressing closer around Lord Protector Eclipse. A lot of them
weren't even trying to fight, they were just hemming him in with their bodies, trying
to bring him down under the weight of their flesh. Where were they all COMING from?
He swept the shadow of his dark shield across them, and they didn't flinch, didn't
even seem to notice. If he correctly understood the nature of the shield... and he
probably didn't, it was so new to him, but he had an idea that any normal person
would run from that shadow as from a nightmare. So did that mean these weren't
normal?
Cut, stab, slash, cut, smash.
They bled normally.
No, they bled like carcasses. He stared into the eyes of a man, or what looked
like a man, that threw himself, itself, onto his blade. There was no mind there, no
soul, no man at all. Just a body. He stabbed it to the heart and shoved it away
with a shudder. But every time one died, two more came forward to replace it.
Even the ones he'd killed were getting up and coming at him again. They were
even less efficient, but they were still coming and still coming. Stabbing killed
them, if they could be called "alive" to begin with, but it didn't stop them. He
began to hack off limbs. It was exhausting. He stamped on a bodiless hand that was
clutching his heel. He whirled in place, hacking and smashing and trampling. The
arena was not like this. He had known, intellectually, that fighting in the arena
wasn't the same as "everyday" combat, but neither was this, in a different way. Was
there no END to these bodies?
"They're cooking a spell," Fandil said. His words came between grunts of effort
as he slammed the end of his wizard's staff into one attacker after another.
"Yes," Cho agreed. His sword was moving constantly, but it was not flashing,
not now that it was bloody from tip to guard. "And every one of these... warm bodies
we kill adds to the power they can use." A pause while his blade swept another
blood-spilling arc across the front of the mass of attackers. "We could use this
power, too, if we could--"
"No! This power here is VILE," Adie said. "We shall not touch it. That would
be to stoop to the level of our enemies." Her beam of concentrated sunlight burned
across another rank of the attack; spilled blood boiled away in its wake.
Cho shook his head and muttered something in Adantri.
"Don't make me laugh, Cho!" Fandil gasped. "That was NOT a nice thing to say
about--" He paused while his staff shattered the skull of another attacker. "My
staff isn't going to take much more of this," he reported. "And we need to do
something about that spell, whatever it--"
"Some kind of killing blast," Cho said.
"I'll show them 'deadly blasts'," Adie growled, gathering more sunlight into her
grip. Filtered or not, it was power, and clean power. And if she could hold
together enough of it, she could burn through whatever filter the Kraelians had put
over it. With the full power of the sunlight to wield, her enemies would find
themselves in a hard place.
Fandil was muttering an incantation, trying to match the rhythm of the words to
the spinning and thrusting of his staff. Even in the current weakened state, it
should be possible to fashion a shield from the Arcanum. Shielding was one of the
last magical functions to go.... But the battle was a distraction he didn't need
right not. And when he reached into the Arcanum, he found it... tainted. The blood
magic, he guessed, the whole Aruaki region must be contaminated with it by now. He
wondered in passing whether Cho had been right, whether Sheila Greywand had planned
the arena system to give her access to blood-power when there was no other source she
could tap. Not that it mattered right this minute....
The Arcanum was sluggish as well as weak and smudged. The shield was forming so
slowly. Too slowly. The attackers began to collapse without being touched, which
must be signalling the launching of the spell; they were giving their lives to fuse
it. Fandil groped for more power.
And felt Adie's gathered sunlight pouring into him like hot iron into a mold.
The shield snapped into shape and position.
Something struck, barely visible, a mass of dark, writhing energies that pressed
downward like the weight of the world. Fandil staggered, then steadied, braced by
Adie's strength added to his own.
And the attackers kept coming. Only stumbling and shambling forward, now, but
still coming. The shield didn't stop THEM, they were physical, not magical. And
they could flow over the three magicians like a wave of flesh and bone, drowning
them, breaking the concentration that kept the spell shield in place. Adie and
Fandil were aware of that approach but could do nothing without dissolving the
shield. Cho hacked at the zombies like a madman, but he was only one man and one
sword.
Eclipse staggered and almost fell when the pressure of the attack against him
suddenly fell away. He leaned against a bit of broken wall, when had he reached the
wall? and blinked sweat from his eyes. A lot of the zombies were simply collapsing.
Falling to the ground, falling into rapid decay, into noisome pools. But some were
turning and moving toward the other center of battle. Enough zombies to overwhelm
that small group. He shook off the blurring of fatigue. An enemy of my enemy might
be a friend, right?
He hefted his shield of shadows and headed their way.
The shield wouldn't hold much longer. Fandil found it hard to believe the
amount of power the Kraelians had assembled in these days of a weakened Arcanum. But
they were using blood magic, and probably even darker sources. And they didn't care
how many of their supporting sorcerers they burned out in the effort. And he and
Adie would burn out eventually, even if Cho left off the physical defense to aid
them.
What was Cho doing? Fighting, yes, that was obvious, but the old Adantri was
shouting, as well. Not spells, they sounded more like curses. Serious, "I really
mean it" curses. Cho was beginning to sound, in fact, like a man in the process of
losing his temper. NOT a good thing for a magician to do.
The dark weight of the spell pressed down on the shield and then... wavered. A
different darkness edged against it. A cleaner darkness, the passionless calm of a
winter night. Where it touched the black fury of the Kraelian spell, that spell
began to fade. As though it was a wineskin that had sprung a leak.
At the same moment, Cho lost his temper completely and roared out something that
shattered the stones heaped around the plaza. Lifting them into the air in a stone-
fanged whirlwind that sailed across the open ground toward the Kraelian mages.
Too many powers collided over the plaza. Brightness of the sun, darkness of an
eclipse. Howling winds and flying debris. Earthquake and a roaring of disturbed
waters.
Fandil felt his shield collapse inward toward his staff like an umbrella
closing, but he could tell that the spell he'd raised it against was gone. There
were other problems, of course, there were always other problems. He caught Adie's
arm as she stumbled and nearly fell; Cho had her on the other side. They turned
together and looked up-slope toward Point.
The gladiator they had seen before was standing there, staring past them. "Some
kind of dike broke," he said, "and there's water, a lot of water, pouring into the
lower part of this town."
"Good! Let's get higher up and away from it," Fandil answered.
SPY REPORT
If you were disturbed from your beauty rest only to have to watch a bunch of
IAYE brutes like you, you'd be grouchy, too. If this keeps up, THE A'S -- LOSERS II,
you'll have to shine swords instead of use them. A drop of 5 in the rankings?
WORLDLY DECLINE turned their 3-1-0 turn into a 4th place rank in the listings this
turn. Any better than this, and you get put on hit lists. Of course, we're all
terribly impressed to see PRINCESS DIANA win a fight and gain 22 points, terribly.
Tsk, tsk, PRINCESS DIANA beat MAPT and MAPT lost 20 points. You're breakin' my
heart. GARBO challenged THE CLEAR for IAYE's Title this turn, and guess what
happened? And if variety is the spice of life, IAYE may be getting bland, as GARBO
stays top dog in the city. I'm not in a very good mood today, but why am I telling
you this? You want to know what's new, don't you, IAYE?
My mother always told me, 'If you don't have anything nice to say, start
talking.' I loved that woman. THE A'S -- LOSERS II, 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 it looks like LENPROS avoided them the most this turn. What a pack of would be
losers, if you ask me. Hmph. FENCE POST was challenged more times this turn than
the Duelmaster. Now was the DM insulted or feared? Heh, heh. And we have MR SELF
DESTRUCT in a challenge, going down 13 points for the fight. Guess what? I thought
MR SELF DESTRUCT showed great skill and promise when he was overcame by SUNLIGHT
SPLATRZ. All right, so I slept through it! Big deal!
Some people like volunteer work in the hospitals. I volunteer for IAYE's
morgue. More variety. Titanium shields and bamboo daggers, guess what brave team is
developing these kinds of weapons?
I was about to buy a new quill pen the other day, but some fighter took it for
an epee. Forgive me for writing with a dagger. Phlllt! Just had to do that before
I leave the fine city of IAYE. I feel much better now. I see the crowds are getting
restless, I must leave now-- Snide Clemens
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SUNLIGHT SPLATRZ 4583 16 10 1 108 THE WARLOCKS (430)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-NULN 4431 8 1 1 121 I TRAINED THEM (331)
-STINGER 4098 9 11 0 104 RANDOM (391)
WROTE THE BOOK 4540 23 22 0 95 GAMEHENDGE (299)
LADY HUNTSMAN 4579 17 7 0 94 LENPROS (145)
BIGFOOTS 4512 12 40 0 93 RED DOG GANG (356)
THE CLEAR 4539 23 22 0 91 THE A'S -- LOSERS II (431)
ENCHANTED 4517 21 22 0 91 CRYSTAL PALACE (435)
SCARECROW 3671 9 5 0 91 CIRCUS MAXIMUS (273)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SGT. SCHMID 4569 18 10 0 90 LENPROS (145)
-RILLION 4313 8 5 0 89 I TRAINED THEM (331)
MR SELF DESTRUCT 3254 15 15 0 88 CIRCUS MAXIMUS (273)
UNSCATHED 4516 19 24 0 85 CRYSTAL PALACE (435)
SNOWY SNOW 4597 12 7 0 77 CRYSTAL PALACE (435)
QUEEN CHINEE 4588 16 13 0 68 THE WARLOCKS (430)
RAINY RAIN 4595 13 6 0 68 CRYSTAL PALACE (435)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
MAORAKITH 4664 7 4 1 66 HELLSWORN (450)
EARTHQUAKE EXCUSE 4584 14 15 1 63 THE A'S -- LOSERS II (431)
SLEEPS ALL DAY 4603 4 2 1 63 GAMEHENDGE (299)
WINDY WIND 4593 9 11 0 61 CRYSTAL PALACE (435)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SARJSKI 4659 7 2 0 56 HELLSWORN (450)
-MOPT 4103 5 4 0 56 RANDOM (391)
DR TRINAIRE 4606 10 10 0 49 RED DOG GANG (356)
SPANDEX ODDITY 3095 7 2 0 49 CIRCUS MAXIMUS (273)
DON FRANCIS 4619 3 1 0 48 LENPROS (145)
POP IDOL 4617 7 4 0 47 WORLDLY DECLINE (445)
PRINCESS DIANA 4614 5 6 0 47 WORLDLY DECLINE (445)
BAZTHRAX 4660 7 2 0 43 HELLSWORN (450)
GADGET 4528 5 5 0 42 RESCUE RANGERS II (385)
LORD WALTON 4612 4 7 0 41 LENPROS (145)
FENCE POST 4604 9 13 0 40 RED DOG GANG (356)
CARDINAL ARIZPE 4645 5 2 0 40 LENPROS (145)
HITHELLIENE 4596 7 17 0 38 RED DOG GANG (356)
VRANCELLE 4658 7 2 1 36 HELLSWORN (450)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
OBBO 4656 5 1 0 29 HELLSWORN (450)
THE BOY KING 4615 6 5 1 28 WORLDLY DECLINE (445)
MAPT 4100 4 3 0 27 RANDOM (391)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
AT 4521 2 3 0 25 RANDOM (391)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
FORTUNETELLER 4669 2 1 0 22 CIRCUS MAXIMUS (273)
ISPEP 4527 2 1 0 20 RANDOM (391)
-CELL BLABBER 4616 3 3 0 19 WORLDLY DECLINE (445)
IRISH CREAM 4654 2 1 0 17 RED DOG GANG (356)
-DALE II 4025 1 0 1 16 RESCUE RANGERS II (385)
-BARNABAS 4598 1 0 0 15 I TRAINED THEM (331)
ECK 4649 3 3 1 13 THE A'S -- LOSERS II (431)
KLINK 4647 2 4 0 10 THE A'S -- LOSERS II (431)
HENDGE CLIPPER 4602 1 5 0 8 GAMEHENDGE (299)
FRENCH VETO 4618 1 4 0 7 WORLDLY DECLINE (445)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
KILLER JOE 4652 1 1 0 RED DOG GANG 356 ECK 4649 533 REVENGED
TOSSED 4563 1 1 0 THE SALADS 442 SLEEPS ALL DAY 4603 533 NOT REVE
PERSONAL ADS
Congratulations, Garbo, on both the DM crown and the Lord Protectorship. Salute. --
Lenpro
I Train Them -- If you do not mind my suggestions, I would advise that Nuln needs
more training--in, and out of, the arena. -- Lenpro
Hithelliene -- Well, I guess it was on purpose. You MUST get religion! -- Cardinal
Arizpe
Bigfoots -- Thanks for being such a loyal servant. -- Lady Huntsman
Dr. Trinaire -- Your services were greatly appreciated. -wink- -- Lord Walton
Mr. Self Destruct -- That did not go the way I had expected. I shall be reporting
you to Homeland Security. -- Sgt Schmid
Fence Post -- Anything can be done with a posthole digger, a chain saw, and a prayer.
-- Cardinal Arizpe
Eck, or was that Eek? You caught me at my best. (as usual) -- Don Francis
Lady Huntsman -- (wriggling with excitement) It's you! I've MISSED you! Nobody
else dances like you do. (sigh) Never leave me. -- Bigfoots
Cardinal Arizpe -- Awww, I don't mind, you can lean on me any time you want, you old
goat. -- Fence Post
Thleepth All Day -- I withh you WOULD. Jutht thleep and thleep and thleep. In your
own bed, too! -- Hithelliene
Lord Walton -- Wow, isn't Lenpro getting all upstage now! Lady this, lord that,
admirals and cardinals and the like! Exhausting. -- Dr Trinaire
Spandex Oddity -- (mournfully) You really don't understand how to play with a dog,
do you? -- Irish Cream
Our congratulations to Garcia. -- The Red Dog Gang
Lenpro -- Sorry, I sent Ed. the wrong file last time. -- the Scribe
2 November 2006
I received a Gift Certificate from someone. I'm assuming it's for entry into the
Turf War 5. Whoever sent this to me...please email me at rbaphomets@yahoo.com.
Thanks.
10 November 2006
The Quest of the Best has come to an end. Dark Knight Toker, host of the Quest,
wants to proclaim the Ultimate Victor and give a listing of prize winners.
Lady Fern and her Flower Girls of the Consortium are the Ultimate Victors of the
Quest. Well fought and there's nothing like coming from behind to leave us all in
the dust. Can't wait to see you defend your title! (wink)
Here is a complete list of managers who placed in prize positions:
1) Lady Fern, mgr. Flower Girls
2) Le Pentarque, mgr. Blood & Guts!
3) Crip, mgr. Otto's Parts
4) D.K. Heathen Hatebred, mgr. Odin's Chosen
5) Ghab, mgr. Assassin Nation
6) Fanthayne, mgr. Dark Raiders
7) D.K. Toker, mgr. Silver Knights
8) D.K. Wasby, mgr. Bronze Knights
9) The Expatriate, mgr. Bleak Legion
10) Still the Distilled, mgr. Springborne Fair
Thanks to all that had the gall to show up, but I really want to thank the
managers that had the mettle to survive and not run when they started getting their
butt handed to them.
Respect to All.
Quest #1 host,
Dark Knight Toker
14 November 2006
A Tale of
Fusion Confusion Delusion Revolution
as told by
Hammer the WordSmith
SomeWhere Beyond ElseWhere and ElseWhen a hooded figure brooded upon the
lingering wisps of memory from days gone by.
From the howling sands to the sanding howls the streams of thought bubbled and
flowed, winding endlessly entwined within the darkest recesses and lightest resources
of the learned and unlearned disciplines of managerial mayhem and manipulation.
Nameless faces and faceless names floated in the swirling mists of madness
embalmed within the memories of one who knew he did not know how far reaching the
influences [both positive and negative] had rooted and flowered in the march of time
and energy expended in the historical markings of gladiatorial essence and excellence
experience.
The tamed and the untamed coupled with the named and the unnamed resources that
spilt their sweat and blood on the sands of arenas both known and unknown had
metamorphosed into the dreamings and the schemings of the fadings of jadings and
paradings [in both public and private] amongst the elite and the indiscreet
posturings and babblings of managers becoming legends in their own minds and times.
Hammer pondered upon beginnings and the seemingly endless myriad of endings
possibly possible among the interspersed and intertwined impossible possibilities
presently past and future.
Echoing and reechoing in the vast depths and countless compartments along the
corridors of his mind, Hammer played and replayed the glories shared and dared in the
sixty-plus stabled arena on fabled Noblish Island DM 93.
The training had been all too brief, but the competition generated by the multi
faceted personages inhabiting DM 93 and the sheer multitude of numbers had forever
instilled themselves in the heart and soul of the veteran manager [Hammer]; insomuch
that the migration to Niatoli Island DM 33 triggered the desire to emulate the glory
and the grandeur of the spectacle of stables vying for recognition from among the
virtually numberless no-name newbies making names for themselves as they numbered
their stables and accomplishments for all to see and behold, to the song and the
sound of the sight of clashing cold cruel steel simmering the flesh of gallant
gladiators consumed by the gory and the glory of crossing blades with the superior
and the inferior within the interior of Greywand's Global Gladiatorial Galaxy.
Far far ago and long long away had many abandoned hope for a return to the
reminiscences revered by so many managers; predating even the generations of
gladiators graduating from Noblish Island and the years of yore and gore and
gallantry before.
Rumblings and mumblings of a renovation rejuvenating the reflexes of managers
numbed by the numberless trysts of tourney tarnished stables began revolutionizing
the very fabric of time and space and time-honored tradition throughout the ranks of
visionary newbies and volatile veterans alike and dislike.
History was being shaken to the core of the gore as glory and grandeur responded
to the revelry reverie revelations and reveille revolutionizing the creation of a new
arena in the making; populated by No-Tourney Warriors and Full Stable Participants
pledging to forge a new vision version of "The Fiercest and Best" for crossing blades
and crosser banter in the personal ads and team spotlight tomes.
Now was the time for Hammer to emerge and once again merge his talent among the
gifted and grifted; answering the call to assemble the drifted [and to directly
divulge and converge with the dozens] for the destiny of destructive denizens
determined to build a new legacy upon the all-but-forgotten ashes of the old and
olden legends of times lost.
[TIME JUMP]
Hammer sifted the sands in the dead of night in the desert reaches [located
SomeWhere BeYond ElseWhere and ElseWhen] to discover 5 gladiators not tourney worthy,
yet interesting enough to begin their careers in a No-Tourney Arena!
"They need not be dispatched to the Dark Arena," the veteran manager mused as he
sorted through paperwork long discarded and vaguely forgotten, "because there is
nothing like a good Blood Feud to provide inspiration for writing personal ads in the
arena newsletter! Besides, there are times when the replacement for a warrior wounded
mortally on the arena sands fares much better than the one exchanged from Torch
Light!"
Fights by Torch Light were certainly deemed unnecessary as Hammer had already
deduced that a number of determined stables would undoubtedly congregate with High
Octane Warriors under the guidance of Higher Octane Managers to populate and
depopulate the new No-Tourney Arena currently under construction in DM 81.
Fortunately his feeble foray into the desert would yield somewhat suitable
candidates for the newfound purposes Hammer had in mind.
From among the candidates to be found Hammer would be rewarded in time by
BLOODFEUDS and REPLACEMENT WARRIORS aplenty!
Deep into the night Hammer searched and searched until five not-so-promising
stables were uncovered in the waning hours before dawn.
Ripper discards were scattered far and wide, but this was not the time or the
hour to let sentimental views cloud the issue at hand. Future events would lend
themselves to a suitable Ripper replacement, especially with the prospects Hammer was
now sorting for his selection decision to dispatch to the Gladiatorial Commission for
processing.
Most managers have the luxury of selecting the best group [or discarding the
worst group!] Hammer had the novelty of rounding up the castaways from the New
Stables paperwork accumulated long ago from Maximillian's Morya Madness contest in DM
28 that were deemed below inferior as contest prizes [and thus banished from sight!]
Hammer scrutinized and agonized over which group of gladiators were worth the
sacks of gold coins he was prepared to release to the Gladiatorial Commission for
fees to MAINTENANCE his new stable in the No-Tourney Arena.
After what seemed like long hours passing by, Hammer discarded one and then
another group of hopefuls. After lengthy debate a third was cast aside. Deciding
between the final two groups found Hammer going back to interview the rejected
candidates time and time again [until a final decision was made that Hammer could
live with and his new stable could die with!] before the final quirks were hammered
out and pen put to paper to process the prospective puny stable with the Gladiatorial
Commission.
The only solace gained from the painful process was the knowledge that other
managers would be less tempted to run stables in DM 81 populated by their tourney-
worthy warriors [under the penalty of death imposed and enforced upon tourney
experienced gladiators by the Committee being formed to police and regulate such
matters!] as sworn to and signed in good faith by each registering manager.
[TIME JUMP]
Hammer had worked long and hard to find suitable candidates for his stable and
now it was time to begin their training. The paperwork had been dispatched for
registration with the Gladiatorial Commission and now was the hour in which
preparation was paramount!
Dispatch riders had arrived with the news that Considerable Bounty was being
offered as incentive rewards to those managers sending new stables to the No-Tourney
Arena.
Hammer realized this would Up the Ante [causing greater pause in the managerial
community for selecting suitable stables!] as the creative competition was certain to
escalate and produce Serious Sword Slinging Stables Staining the Arena Sands Red!
Obviously a serious upgrade in the quality of competition migrating to the No-
Tourney Arena in DM 81 would definitely work in favor of Hammer; enormously
increasing the death toll percentage potential amongst the ranks of his new start-up
stable in DM 81 [Sands Running Red and Blood Feuds Running Rampant as Undoubtedly
Expected!]
Hammer observed the futility of his new warriors training [as well as they could
for what they were made from!] while recent memories came to the forefront of his
mind!
When the paperwork was nearly completed and names were selected for each
Gladiator, Hammer decided to name the stable according to what he had discovered in
the darkness while searching during the dismal hours of the desert night.
These warriors would probably be more well suited to fight by Torch Light had
they fallen into the possession of most other managers!
Paper Warriors better suited to confronting Dark Arena Monsters [rather than
being fed to the Gladiatorial Lions certain to be populating the regular No-Tourney
Arena!]
Specimens blatantly better suited for feeding upon agitated armadillo ants than
for striving to attain recognition and fame in the No-Tourney Arena [or any arena!]
Thus was AARDVARK HAMMERZ birthed and born for Greatness or Disgrace!
[TIME JUMP]
Dispatch riders on winged steeds brought the news Hammer had been awaiting!
Not since the days of training on Noblish Island in DM 93 had Hammer encountered
such collective enthusiasm for crossing blades in a selected arena such as DM 81
[recalling the time Hammer generated a gathering of newbies to transfer to Niatoli
Island in DM 33 to match wits and cross blades with the assembling veterans upon
graduation!]
The Consortium had represented the veterans well in DM 33 with the SWEETNESS
stable managed by Sweety Pie. Now the good news had arrived that The Consortium was
seen registering a stable named LIFE IMPACTS in the No-Tourney Arena!
Former alliance mates Darque and Kat had reportedly registered DARQUE AGES and
KATHOUSE with the Gladiatorial Commission.
Morya Madness combatant LePentarque from DM 28 had registered LA PENTARCHIE and
longtime fixture Drake in North Fork DM 47 [recently returned from a lengthy hiatus]
had been lured by the competition to register DRAKE'S HARDWARE.
Deke [at the helm of DOC LEGRAND'S LAB] was instrumental in promoting the No-
Tourney Arena by repeatedly negotiating terms with the Gladiatorial Commission.
Others had laid the groundwork before him, but Deke raised the banner and carried it
the final distance [Supported by Countless Managers too numerous to mention!] Salute
Yourselves for Your Efforts are Most Graciously Applauded throughout Alastari!
Apex had signed in with CAROLINA BLUE as had Ghab with ASSASSIN NATION.
Another familiar name was found on the rolls as DeGotti registered CULT OF
BACCHUS followed by DOOM KNIGHTS managed by Blackstorm.
Also on the rolls to be noted were AS SEEN ON TV II managed by Indimar and
RAGNAROK'S WOLVES by none other than ragnorokwolf.
Nomad had signed on with PHANTOM REGIMENT and Silas followed suit with
GRIFFONRAWL MMA.
Another notable signature was that of MasterBeru with CHILDHOOD HEROES and a
penchant for scribing Team Spotlights [A Plus in Any Arena!]
Detective Kellumbo had followed the clues and was observed enroute to
registering a yet unannounced stable [such are the ways of sleuthhounds and such!]
Rumor had it that the manager known as Roadkill was on his way to register a
stable after his namesake and Slugbait was close behind [obliviously lost in
thought!]
Finally [in no particular disorder!] managers Grimm, Woody, Terminator, Den and
Bill were also seen elbowing their way through the gathering registration crowd to
officially announce their participation in the No-Tourney Arena.
COUNTLESS OTHER MANAGERS were known to be pondering the consequences of sending
stables to a No-Tourney Arena and had yet to make the commitment public knowledge as
to their intentions.
Howbeit the Gladiatorial Commission was reportedly swamped with requests for New
Stable Registration Forms [whether for the Tempe Facer or No-Tourney Arena was
anybody's guess at the present time!]
Judging from the furtive figures darting and ducking in the shadows and
alleyways throughout Alastari [as well as those huddled in taverns or communicating
with one another by various means available!] the success of such a No-Tourney Arena
was Ballooning far Beyond the Expectations of the Promoters and Petitioners Bar None!
HAMMER WAS UNDERSTANDABLY ENTHUSED BEYOND MEASURE BECAUSE the No-Tourney Arena
had the Best Potential for attracting and assembling a congregation of competitors
rivaling the numbers of Noblish Island from days gone by!
JANUARY 2007 MARKS THE BEGINNING of a Journey where both Newbies and Veterans
join together in a Historic Assemblage Celebrating the Crossing of Blades between
some of the Best Managed Stables in all of Alastari [Known and Unknown!]
"May Your Blades Be Sharp and Your Wits Sharper"
Hammer
Minister of War
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
DON FRANCIS devastated FENCE POST in a 3 minute mismatched Challenge fight.
GARBO vanquished THE CLEAR in a 1 minute uneven Challenge battle.
MR SELF DESTRUCT was demolished by SUNLIGHT SPLATRZ in a 1 minute Challenge fight.
SPANDEX ODDITY bested LORD WALTON in a 3 minute Challenge contest.
QUEEN CHINEE was defeated by ENCHANTED in a 3 minute veteran's fight.
LADY HUNTSMAN devastated SNOWY SNOW in a popular 2 minute uneven brawl.
SGT. SCHMID bested MAORAKITH in a crowd pleasing 3 minute match.
WROTE THE BOOK viciously subdued UNSCATHED in a action packed 3 minute expert's fight.
RAINY RAIN was vanquished by BIGFOOTS in a 1 minute one-sided duel.
SCARECROW viciously subdued EARTHQUAKE EXCUSE in a 2 minute gory duel.
WINDY WIND defeated GADGET in a 1 minute match.
POP IDOL handily defeated HITHELLIENE in a exciting 1 minute one-sided bout.
MAPT was demolished by PRINCESS DIANA in a 1 minute mismatched competition.
VRANCELLE was bested by DR TRINAIRE in a 1 minute battle.
SARJSKI demolished RUTHLESS JAYWALKER in a 1 minute one-sided brawl.
CARDINAL ARIZPE was handily defeated by SLEEPS ALL DAY in a 1 minute conflict.
BAZTHRAX outlasted HAPPY PEASANT in a crowd boring 9 minute struggle.
THE BOY KING slimly won victory over HENDGE CLIPPER in a 2 minute bout.
ISPEP devastated KLINK in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
AT was overpowered by OBBO in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
ECK was beaten by FORTUNETELLER in a 1 minute bout.
IRISH CREAM overpowered FRENCH VETO in a 1 minute mismatched fight.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK 9 PARRY-RIPOSTE 10 - 4 - 0 71 |
|AIMED BLOW 6 TOTAL PARRY 22 - 10 - 0 69 |
|TOTAL PARRY 5 PARRY-STRIKE 12 - 8 - 0 60 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 5 SLASHING ATTACK 17 - 12 - 0 59 |
|WALL OF STEEL 4 AIMED BLOW 21 - 18 - 1 54 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 4 LUNGING ATTACK 39 - 35 - 1 53 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 3 WALL OF STEEL 15 - 18 - 0 45 |
|BASHING ATTACK 3 BASHING ATTACK 12 - 18 - 0 40 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 2 PARRY-LUNGE 10 - 19 - 0 34 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 1 STRIKING ATTACK 3 - 7 - 1 30 |
Turn 537 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:
TOTAL PARRY 4 - 1 BASHING ATTACK 1 - 2 2 PARRY-LUNGE
LUNGING ATTACK 7 - 2 WALL OF STEEL 1 - 3 2 LUNGING ATTACK
AIMED BLOW 4 - 2 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 4 2 TOTAL PARRY
PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 - 1 PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 1 2 SLASHING ATTACK
SLASHING ATTACK 3 - 2 STRIKING ATTACK 0 - 2 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE
1 WALL OF STEEL
1 AIMED BLOW
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
PARRY-RIPOSTE SUNLIGHT SPLATRZ 4583 16 10 1 108 THE WARLOCKS (430)
LUNGING ATTACK WROTE THE BOOK 4540 23 22 0 95 GAMEHENDGE (299)
TOTAL PARRY LADY HUNTSMAN 4579 17 7 0 94 LENPROS (145)
PARRY-LUNGE THE CLEAR 4539 23 22 0 91 THE A'S -- LOSERS II (431)
SLASHING ATTACK SCARECROW 3671 9 5 0 91 CIRCUS MAXIMUS (273)
PARRY-STRIKE QUEEN CHINEE 4588 16 13 0 68 THE WARLOCKS (430)
WALL OF STEEL RAINY RAIN 4595 13 6 0 68 CRYSTAL PALACE (435)
AIMED BLOW DON FRANCIS 4619 3 1 0 48 LENPROS (145)
BASHING ATTACK CARDINAL ARIZPE 4645 5 2 0 40 LENPROS (145)
STRIKING ATTACK VRANCELLE 4658 7 2 1 36 HELLSWORN (450)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is WROTE THE BOOK 4540. The most popular warrior this
turn was SNOWY SNOW 4597. The ten other most popular fighters were MAORAKITH 4664,
WROTE THE BOOK 4540, LORD WALTON 4612, SCARECROW 3671, ENCHANTED 4517, DON FRANCIS
4619, QUEEN CHINEE 4588, WINDY WIND 4593, POP IDOL 4617, and SLEEPS ALL DAY 4603.
The least popular fighter this week was BAZTHRAX 4660. The other ten least popular
fighters were FRENCH VETO 4618, AT 4521, KLINK 4647, CARDINAL ARIZPE 4645, MAPT 4100,
GADGET 4528, RAINY RAIN 4595, MR SELF DESTRUCT 3254, THE CLEAR 4539, and FENCE POST
4604.
The following warriors have traveled to AD after fighting this turn:
GARBO (30-3158) CIRCUS MAXIMUS (273)