DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER Date : 04/01/2004 Duedate: 04/14/2004 JHANS ARENA DM-36 TURN-453 This Weeks Top Honors THE DUELMASTER IS HALO 14 BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) (36-5711) [13-9-2,109] Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader HALO 14 SUBZERO BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) KAMIKAZI (533) (36-5711) [13-9-2,109] (36-6120) [4-0-0,50] Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite KERRY BEAR KERRY BEAR BLITZKRIEG (271) BLITZKRIEG (271) (36-3994) [9-6-0,66] (36-3994) [9-6-0,66] THE CURRENT TOP TEAM KAMIKAZI (533) TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team 1. VAGRANT REGIME (539) 72 2. KAMIKAZI (533) 58 BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) 3. THE CRIMSON TIDE (426) 33 Unchartered Team 4. THE BREW CREW (526) 29 5. STDS (534) 20 VAGRANT REGIME (539) The Top Teams Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 1- 1*SUPERIOR HORDE 196 (528) 1 0 0 100 1/ 1*KAMIKAZI (533) 11 3 0 2/ 3*VAGRANT REGIME (539) 7 3 0 70.0 2/ 3 SUICIDAL DREAMS (525) 9 6 3 3/ 2*THE CRIMSON TIDE (426) 5 3 1 62.5 3/ 2 BLITZKRIEG (271) 8 7 0 4/ 4 BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) 44 34 6 56.4 4/12*VAGRANT REGIME (539) 7 3 0 5/10*KAMIKAZI (533) 16 13 1 55.2 5/ 4 THE FALLEN (524) 7 8 0 6/ 5*THE BREW CREW (526) 11 9 0 55.0 6/ 5 ANARKYSTS (341) 6 4 0 7/11*THE MATRIX (531) 7 6 0 53.8 7/13*THE BREW CREW (526) 6 4 0 8/ 6 BABES (416) 204 186 6 52.3 8/11*THE CRIMSON TIDE (426) 5 3 1 9/ 7 BLITZKRIEG (271) 134 125 13 51.7 9- 8 SECTION HATE (491) 5 5 1 10- 8 HELTER SKELTER (256) 493 471 29 51.1 10/ 6 BABES (416) 5 6 0 11/ 9 SUICIDAL DREAMS (525) 27 28 4 49.1 11/ 7 BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) 5 9 1 12/16*STDS (534) 8 9 1 47.1 12/18*STDS (534) 4 8 1 13/13 ANARKYSTS (341) 304 355 33 46.1 13/10 LITTLE GIRLS LIKE. (515) 4 10 1 14/12 THE FALLEN (524) 25 30 1 45.5 14/19*THE DREAMING (529) 4 11 0 15-14 IRON TIGERS (484) 107 129 16 45.3 15- 9*SHADOW SOLDIERS (530) 3 7 0 16/15 LITTLE GIRLS LIKE. (515) 52 69 8 43.0 16/16*THE MATRIX (531) 2 1 0 17/17*THE DREAMING (529) 12 18 1 40.0 17-15 HELTER SKELTER (256) 2 1 0 18-18*ABYSMAL BEHAVIORS (538) 2 3 1 40.0 18-17*ABYSMAL BEHAVIORS (538) 2 3 1 Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K 19-19 SECTION HATE (491) 86 138 12 38.4 19-14 IRON TIGERS (484) 1 0 0 20-20*SHADOW SOLDIERS (530) 7 13 0 35.0 20-20*SUPERIOR HORDE 196 (528) 1 0 0 21-21*SHATTERED DREAMS (527) 5 20 2 20.0 21-21*SHATTERED DREAMS (527) 0 5 0 '*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn (###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank TEAM SPOTLIGHT * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * Kill Contest Update... DARK ARENA warriors beware when you see the warriors of JHANS coming! After being killed last turn, SUPERIOR MANAGER's wife worked the streets night and day to save up enough ASTRUMS to purchase a RESURRECTION POTION. I guess she will be back on the streets again! (Not that she minds!) SUPERIOR MANAGER was once again slain, but this time by BIG BED. Some of BIG BED's handlers report hearing MANAGER mutter something about knowing how HOWARD DEAN felt after NEW HAMPSHIRE. Use protection in all that you do or you might just get a case of STD's. RILLION found out the hard way after encountering a little bit of 'E' Cole I. Wonder what he was doing with hamburger meat? Talk about a CINDERELLA story, move over ALABAMA, BIBIDY-BOBIDY-BOO is coming to an arena near you! Just ask SHADOW SOLDIERS. BIBIDY has taken the lives of two of there beloved comrades, MAREK & RAIMONDO. I guess no more ESPN DEPORTES for them! A secret source at the JHANS DAILY NEWS tells me that SHADOW WARRIORS may have to miss a few turns. Their manager has recently ran an ad asking for gladiators to restock his stable! Yet another SHADOW SOLDIER has fallen! But not in 116 years has a victim been delivered the death blow by JACK RIPPER. Good bye PHOENIX! NO JACK, you can't add the other 6 to your kill contest total! And let me say as a member of the MASONIC ORDER, BROTHER RIPPER...oops...ahh...I mean MR. RIPPER is in no way associated with the FRATERNITY. Until next turn here are your leaders: Suicidal Dreams 3 kills Blitzkrieg 1 Iron Tigers 1 Abysmal Behaviors 1 Section Hate 1 Little Girls Like... 1 STD's 1 The Crimson Tide 1 * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * The Kill Contest (Jhans) #2 The past week in Jhans had been anything but ordinary. There were rumors everywhere about "ancient cities" magically reappearing. One rumor had even gone as far as to say that a city had "risen out of the sea like an evil phoenix seeking revenge." Well, there were a lot of rumors circulating right now and the only thing for certain was that the people on the street were very jumpy. Life went on despite these rumors. The arena continued to provide the people a distraction (even if it were a brutal one) and the Jhans' marketplace continued to be as busy as ever. Jhans Marketplace: "The red one? Or the green one? The red one? The green one?" P-Diddi (or simply 'P') had been looking at the same two necklaces for what seemed to Brew-ha to be forever. The two managers had gotten through with all their dueling responsibilities earlier that morning and had started for the Loucas Lounge. P-Diddi had become a little side-tracked along the way. Brew-ha folded his arms. He sighed. He tapped his foot. He did anything and everything to try and pass the time but all he could think about was a nice tall cold chalice of ale. Eventually Brew-ha spoke up. "C'mon, man. You're takin' all day. Let's go get some ale and some babes. Plus you know what Hoss said 'bout buyin' gifts for your female warriors...." P-Diddi rolled his eyes and tried to hide his anger. He said, "Well Hoss ain't here IS he? It's my money anyway. I stole it fair and square and I'll buy whatever the froth I want." Brew knew how stubborn P could be and reluctantly Brew continued to wait and daydreamed of women and wine. After a few more moments of deliberation P called out to the merchant. "How much for the dragon pendant with the green eye?" The merchant came over and examined the pendant in question. He looked it over meticulously, as if he'd never seen it before. He acted as if it were some 'rare treasure' he didn't even know he had for sale. "Fifty silver." the merchant eventually said. P-Diddi took a step backwards. "FIFTY?! Are you tryin' to rob me?!" The merchant smiled. "Just tryin' to feed me children...." P turned to Brew-ha who was no help at all. He wasn't even paying attention anymore. P turned back to the merchant and said, "I'll give you twenty-five." "Forty-five." "Thirty." "Thirty-five." Reluctantly P-Diddi agreed. "I'll take it." Money and merchandise were exchanged and P-Diddi was on his way before Brew-has was even aware that he was done. Brew-ha had to run to catch up before P disappeared around the corner and got out of sight. When they were once again side by side Brew asked him, "How much you pay for it?" "Thirty-five silver." P said with a huge grin on his face. "THIRTY-FIVE SILVER?! That's not worth that...." "Oh, I know." P said, his grin ever growing. "Then why in the hell are you so froth'n happy?!" "Because of this." With that P produced a money-bag from beneath his cloak and proudly displayed it for all to see. Brew-ha laughed. "Tell me you didn't do it...." "Hell yes I did do it!! Wasn't his anyway. I watched him lift it off a noble while I was looking at the pendants. What goes around..." "...comes around." Brew-ha finished. "C'mon, Brew. Let's hit the Lounge. I think I can afford to buy us a round." P said very sarcastically. The two managers pushed through the crowd. With every step P tossed the money bag he'd just stolen up in the air and caught it. Over and over he kept saying to himself, "God I love my job." The Loucas Lounge: The Loucas Lounge was even busier than the Jhans' marketplace. There was little talk about magic cities in here. In here the talk was all about the kill contest being held in the arena. Everywhere you looked people were placing bets on the outcome. "G'damn this place is crowded." Brew-ha said as he stood just inside the Lounge's front door and tried to find a place to sit. "No doubt. Hey! There's a table over there! C'mon let's sit down before I gotta kill somebody to get a table." Brew-ha wondered if P was kidding. As they walked through the crowded bar they couldn't help but over-hear all the different conversations around them. It seemed everyone had an opinion about who was going to win the kill contest and they all wanted to profit from it. One man said, "Bookie's lead in the kill contest is a fluke. He's been away from the games too long. I bet he doesn't even get ONE more kill." Another said, "Mac, Kerry Bear, and Tantric. Have you seen Tantric?! Polarius is gonna win this thing easy." And yet another man had his own inebriated theory on the outcome. "Three Dark Arena warriors killed in TWO turns?! The DA is throwin' fights! That's for sure! And who killed the FIRST Dark Arena warrior? Filthy Phil. That's right! They don't call him 'filthy' for nothin'. He's dirty! And he fights dirty! He's paid off Ripples Dorrigan and he'll win the contest by DA'ing his WHOLE TEAM!!" Well, no one said ALL the opinions were based on valid reasoning. The managers reached the empty table and just then someone plowed into P's shoulder and spun him around. "Hey!" P yelled as his hand slipped to his dagger and he spun at who bumped into him. He was ready for anything. Anything but the look that he found on the warrior Drips' face. Drips was smiling like a four year old who'd just gotten away with murder. He had two brothel girls on each arm and he was quite inebriated. He was more than eager to try and stir up some trouble on his day off. "Aww, sorry 'bout that. I couldn't see you for all the girls with me." Drips' tone was very sarcastic and an intentional attempt to bait a rise out of P-Diddi. As P got angrier Drips' smile but bigger. P was just about to pull his dagger and try the ole "slice and dice" on Drips but after seeing members of the city guard walking over P decided discretion would have to suffice, for now. P said, "Not today, little man. Just watch where your ass is goin' next time." Drips couldn't care less. "Whatever. Just be careful...you'd hate to have another 'accident'." Drips walked away and yelled back, "If you ever get a warrior out of the inits challenge me!!" Drips was laughing but P-Diddi was fuming as he sat down. Immediately he verbally pounced on Brew. "Where the hell were you?!" Brew-ha grinned naively. "I was tryin to get the name of the blonde in the back." P was now fully irate. "WHAT?!" "Chill, you had it under control." P replied the same. "WHAT?!" Brew-ha laughed. "I'm kidding...I had my hand on my dagger. If he moved he was a dead-man." "Just who in the hell does that little dwarf think he is?! Always talkin' smack and tryin' to start fights!" Brew-ha snickered and said, "Sounds a lot like us. I actually like the lil' guy's attitude, myself." "Me too." P reluctantly admitted. Then he added, "That's why it's gonna suck when I gotta slit his throat because he was showin' out for some girl. Yea, I sure am gonna miss that guy when I kill him." Brew-ha found it all amusing and simply shrugged (as he often did). Then the managers ordered drinks and tried to unwind. P said, "What's got into everybody? Have you noticed how strange everyone's acting?" "Yea." Brew replied. "Bookie's always teaching what's-her-name...." "Raven." "Yea, Raven. He's always teaching her magic or he's meeting with Prince Darron. He's too busy to do anything anymore. I miss when we used to get drunk at his guildhouse all the time...." P added, "Bookie's busy, Hoss is 'doin his own thing' (whatever that means), and Azrael's disappeared." "Azrael went to Zorpunt." "A WEEK AGO!! Have you heard from him?" "No...." "Nobody has!! Something's not right. I can feel it. That's just not like Az to not touch base with SOMEONE in the group." Their waitress returned and along with their drinks she slide a note to P. She said, "This is from the woman over--" She turned and pointed at an empty bar-stool. "Uh, um--she WAS over there. Anyway, enjoy your drinks and call if you need me." "What's in the note?" Brew asked curiously. "Probably just one of my MANY adoring female fans. Let's see shall we... probably has a room number in here...." P opened the note and as he read his eyes began to gleam with anticipation. "A girl?" Brew asked. "Nope, better." "Better than a girl?" "Yup, we got ourselves a job...." "Assassin work?" Brew-ha asked in a whisper. "Yup, yup. God I love my work...." P said with a very disturbing gleam in his eye. Undisclosed location, Jhans: In a room hidden far away from prying eyes, Polarius, the manager of Blitzkrieg, sat at a desk and strategized for the upcoming tournament. The room had no windows and the only light was provided by a pair of candles setting atop the desk. Polarius paused and sat down his pen. He waited and when he was greeted with silence he spoke up. "Are you going to speak or not? I heard you when you came in." Out of the shadows a hooded figure appeared. It was Bookie. Polarius seemed very satisfied that his senses had not failed him. Bookie spoke. "Did you send for them?" "Yes, Bookie. I've sent for them. Are you sure they're the right men for the job? This is too important to get screwed up." "They're young and they're rowdy but this is right down their alley. There is no one else I'd rather entrust this to." "Very well, then. If you're confident in their abilities then I am as well... BUT if they fail, it was YOUR call." Bookie nodded. "And what of Prince Darron, Bookie?" Bookie sighed. "Darron is being more difficult to influence then I'd anticipated." Polarius scoffed. "Don't tell me THE Bookie can't control a seventeen year old prince! You're losing your touch, old man!!" "The prince is still something of a brat but I think I have just the thing. When you're trying to snare a seventeen year old boy what's the perfect bait?" Polarius had no answer. "A seventeen year old girl...." "What have you planned, Bookie?" With a maniacal look on his face Bookie replied, "You'll see. You'll see very very soon." + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Dark Federation #5 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Rodeki: There were just the four of them, or five if you counted Adabemis & Balmador as two separate people, which Sue E. Syde didn't. Not much of an army to arrest a governor. And just because "Princess Tirisha wants it done." What did the woman expect them to DO? It was beginning to look like Adabemis & Balmador wasn't the only crazy person around. She glanced at her companions and wondered if there was any point in commenting on this. Not to the Dwarf with his two personalities, although if one or the other didn't happen to like Tirisha.... No, not to him, or them. And she had a good idea that Captain Shirivien already knew it and didn't care, at least, not enough to run counter to Tirisha's commands. And her teammate Rob A. Ree...she shook her head. Better just to keep quiet for now. The streets of Rodeki were quiet, too. Very few people were out, and they were keeping close to the sides of buildings and fading down alleys at first sight of the group from Xochithlan. Expecting trouble, Sue guessed. The governor's palace in Rodeki was not as impressive as Sue had expected. Large, yes, but so...ordinary. It looked more like an office building than it did a palace. It was built against the side of the mountain that closed in Rodeki on the north, maybe even built back into the mountain, and it went up three stories with a sort of tower climbing higher back along the slope. There were no majestic pillars, no statues in niches (no niches), and only one balcony. And it was grubby. The stone might have been light-colored originally, but years of the smelter smoke that sometimes filled the valley had turned it blotched dark brown and sooty black. Tirisha wasn't going to like this place at all; Sue E. Syde couldn't imagine her living in it. But that wasn't today's problem. Today's problem was taking it away from Governor Milvares. Who wasn't likely to be taken by surprise.... One side of the big double door opened as the gladiators and Sirivien started up the steps. She didn't recognize the man who came out--a Kannar, late middle age, looked like a man used to wielding authority. It might be the governor himself. When they were close enough to hear him without shouting, he said, "Why have you come here?" The gladiators instinctively looked toward Captain Shirivien. "On the order of our lady, Princess Tirisha of Xochithlan," he said. "She has commanded us to arrest Governor Milvares." "On what grounds?" The man's voice was still calm, but there was steel in it. Shirivien hesitated. "The Princess has not offered us explanation. It is not our place to question, only to obey." A voice from overhead said, "We could drop things on them from here, even though we don't have proper stuff like boiling lead." Sue glanced up. There was a short woman in a Dwarven helmet on the balcony. A tall man in arena-issue mail came up behind her. "Not yet, Gate Witch." He added something that the people on the steps couldn't hear, but the Dwarven woman grinned and punched him on the arm. The man in the doorway reclaimed their attention, saying, "Your princess would be better served if the people around her asked for explanations and offered advice. She would be wise to return to Xochithlan." "Are you threatening Princess Tirisha?" Adabemis or Balmador demanded. "No, I'm offering her sound advice. It would be a good move for her to leave Rodeki. She has no place here." "It sounds like a threat to ME." That was definitely Balmador, the more hostile of the two personalities. "If you think in terms of threats," the man said, "all things sound like threats." Balmador opened his mouth to make a retort, but She and Shirivien moved in on him from either side, and Sue put a hand over his mouth. "Your advice may be good," she said, "but we have our orders." The man made a sort of half bow and stepped back, pulling the door closed behind him. From the balcony, Gate Witch said, "NOW can we drop things on them, John?" "I thought you were looking forward to fighting them in the halls," the man replied. "If you drop things on them now, they'll never make it into the halls. Which might not be a bad thing, when one comes to think about it...." "Spoilsport!" Both gladiators on the balcony withdrew, and pulled that door shut behind them also. Rob A. Ree, whose many flaws did not include major stupidity, looked at the closed door of the palace, and at the windows on either side, which were fifteen feet above the ground in front of them and barred, and said, "Anybody got a pocket battering ram?" "I thought we were supposed to be able to just walk in," Adabemis added. "Now what?" + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Out of the Past #4 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Near Fratsfa: Gladiators sailed up the river from Kati-Tei through Andor, Fratsfa, and Zensu to the Isle of the Eye. Some came as tourists, some as newly-graduated warriors, some to attend and participate in the Spring Tourney. This was a steady source of income for boatmen, and many of them made the trip two or three times a month; the river and its shores were well known to them. "I don't remember a castle on that hill," one sailor muttered, squinting at the shore. "And I was along here just last week...." "There was no castle there," Lady Fern, manager of the Flower Girls in Fratsfa confirmed. "And a week is certainly not long enough to build one!" "There was one...eight hundred years ago," a voice murmured behind her. The statuesque manager glanced back at her gladiatress, Nasty Nasturtium. The woman was an Araoi, and elf of the purest blood, and Lady Fern supposed it was possible that Nasturtium actually REMEMBERED a castle there, but she hoped not. The thought of having a warrior that old was unsettling. "You're sure, Nasty?" The elfin blonde nodded firmly. "Yes, my mother told me about it--one of her brothers helped to bring the castle down. The Castle of Storms, that was its name, a place of the darkest arts. It was the stronghold of Prince Illrienherthinil Silverthorn, who was called the Ill Rain." Lady Fern glanced at the sky automatically. It WAS getting cloudy, but that was, must be, coincidence. After all, changeable weather was common at this time of year. "That wasn't on Khaldren's list." The short, stocky man removed his bowler and extended a hand to Lady Fern. "Raoul, Lord Protector In Gerfel We Trust." "Kennelworth has spoken of you," Lady Fern admitted. "But what do you know of this Castle of Storms?" "Not a thing, doll. But I'm wondering if Khaldren's magic isn't raising more ruins than he planned on--anyplace with enough of the wrong kind of magic concentrated in it." "This Khaldren is...?" Nasturtium asked. "A wizard who escaped the sinking of Krael," Raoul explained. "He wants to bring Krael forward in time, or back from the dead, or something. And other places he knows about from that era." "That would take a great magic," Nasturtium protested. "With the Arcanum in the current low state, it should not be possible." "Adie in Aruak City says he could be using blood magic based on the arena deaths, doll. She seems to think that'd do it for him." The elf recoiled. "It would!" she whispered, "and that would call to all sites where dark magic has sunk deep. This must be stopped!" "Well, I'm taking the warning to Lady Sheila--" "She can do nothing, even if she would," Nasturtium snapped. "She dares not touch blood magic, even to fight it, except in the most indirect fashion, and indirection will not serve! Not soon enough, anyway." "Adie will think of some way to fight Khaldren," Raoul said, a little uneasily. He took a deep breath and put his hat back on. "And until he's stopped, we will fight everything he brings up from the past." "If we have to fight the Ill Rain," Nasty Nasturtium predicted, "it won't be easy." Valamantis: Lord Protector Ka D'Argo, on a brief trip to his home on Kolact, had planned to take ship at Valamantis. But the port city was not as he had expected. There was always bustle, but now...it reminded him of a disturbed anthill. And where had those towers on the landward side come from? They weren't something that could have been built in a day, or even a year, and he'd been through here four months ago. "It's Old Valamantis," Arenamistress Sitalva said grimly. "We've had word of some kind of magic afoot aimed at ruined cities, and with all the blood spilled in the recent Bloodgames, it would have been more surprising if something had NOT happened there. But understanding why doesn't help us now. The oldest levels of Old Valamantis," she said grimly, "were Folstrom. NOBODY wants to see the Folstrom loose in the world again." "Bringing the ruins back is one thing," the tall gladiator argued, "but the people...? Surely Ahringol won't release their souls because of a spell and some blood." Sitalva watched the slight wavering of the resurrected towers and shivered, though the day was already warm. "We'll find out, when the city stabilizes. The Silver Mage says sometime in the next week and a half or two weeks. But we can see people moving around in there. And even if they're zombies, it isn't going to be good." Iaye: The fishing boats that had fled Iaye when the earthquakes began crept back one by one as the Trier grew calm again. Most of them followed the coast down toward Point, not because they needed the guidance but to see for themselves if drowned Krael had truly risen from the waves. It had. Lord Protector Goff, assistant manager of the Red Dog Gang, stood on the gently rocking deck of his boat and stared through a spyglass at the rampart of buildings that blocked what had been the strait between Iaye and Point. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but not this. Krael stood above the water, but not as it must once have looked. Many of the taller buildings showed broken tops, and all was slimed with mud and weed. Here and there, decaying wrecks lay in the streets or even on the roofs of houses. The smell of dead fish was obvious even from a mile away. Krael LOOKED like a city that had spent centuries under water. The people who moved among those ruins didn't. There weren't enough of them to represent the entire population of the city at the time of its disaster, he guessed at no more than two hundred. But they looked...normal. Alive. And their activity--they seemed to be trying to clear one section of the city of its mud and debris--were just what you'd expect. And they seemed to take the whole situation for granted. They must KNOW, from the state of Krael now, what had happened, but they just calmly went about cleaning up. That was the most unnerving thing of all. Xochithlan: There were no ruins around Xochithlan to rise up at the wizard's call, because the modern city was the old city, continuously lived in for longer than most Alastarian cities had existed. There was, perhaps, a tendency for certain long- buried residents to stir in their graves, but if any came out to walk the streets, it was not immediately obvious. What was obvious was the forest. There had been a forest around Xochithlan for a long time, but it had been burned away during the Rirorni War. Replanting efforts had been ongoing for the last eight years, but eight years is not long enough to bring back a major forest. And what surrounded the city now, pressing in against the walls and disturbing the newer suburbs, was a major forest. Not, however, a forest such as the Xochithlani remembered. This was a Forest Primeval. This was a forest that might hide...anything. And according to the scholars of ancient texts consulted by King Feyen of Xochithlan, it probably did. Zuwayza: Zuwayza was as old as Xochithlan, and there were as many dark secrets buried under its streets. The foundation of the city, Vekhirn knew, went back to the days before the first humans. There were Folstrom traces, but there was also something older. Maybe more than one something. And they were all stirring. Too much blood had been spilled here, especially in the years since the invasion--during the invasion itself, and in the slow beating back of the Eastern forces. And in other ways, or for other causes, as well. The court wizard had sensed a new feeling in the people of the old city. Harder. Crueler, perhaps. Less patient, less tolerant--and the Glorious Empire had never been noted for tolerance. The woman Jayde, who claimed to be the daughter of Kjarran, her death and her mysterious apotheosis, had that been the start of this dark bitterness that gripped the people? He shrugged that off. Whatever the cause for the change of heart, blood had been spilled. And somewhere, someone had called on spilled blood to raise old evils, and spilled blood everywhere had answered. Aruak City: Adeolar stared into the gilt-framed mirror, frowning and twisting a lock of hair between nervous fingers. Nothing she was Seeing was good. Not that the mirror was the best way to See, but it was the only scrying device she had that was still working. There was a bloody film over the glass that could not be washed off, and that, she suspected, was a sign of just how bad things were. Blood magic, used to excess, tainted everything. There was no doubt that the wizard in Zorpunt was strong and ruthless, but what he had started seemed to be taking on a life of its own. And no one, so far, seemed able to stop him. She would have to take steps herself. + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Out of the Past #5 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ + Dal Shang: From the top tier of the arena, you could see a long way out to sea, because the arena was built on a cliff above the harbor. So was a lot of the rest of Dal Shang, but except for the governor's palace, it mostly wasn't as high as the arena. Lord Protector Wais, who had come home to Dal Shang in a vague effort to boost that beleaguered arena, was sitting on the top tier brooding. The arena was shrinking faster than a pool of water in the desert. Promising warriors who were looking for a career in the arena were not looking in THIS arena. Fourteen active warriors last time, and two of them had been retiring by way of a Dark Arena appearance. His own team, even, had gone inactive! Something had to be done, but he had no idea what. Even the fans had deserted Dal Shang arena. With a sigh, he turned away from the empty arena to look out to sea. And so he saw the waters of the lake heave as though they were boiling, and a new--or very old--island rise like a black reef no more than five miles off shore. Five miles is too far away to see the details, but there was something disturbingly regular about the broken ridgeline of that island. Like buildings.... A note for the people of the Free Cities and Lirith Kai: Some people say that if you get rid of magic, the world will be much simpler. Some people say that the destabilization of the Arcanum will get rid of magic. Ha! High Magic, the stuff that highly educated wizards do, falters as the Arcanum weakens. But there are other kinds of magic. Older. Cruder. Less vulnerable. There's Blood Magic. Spilling blood releases power. The more blood, the more power. And a very powerful wizard of several centuries ago, Khaldren of Krael, who decided that he didn't want to die when the city around him was dying, has come to the present. He's made a spell to bring Krael back from ruins, and he's tied it to Blood Magic. But there's more blood being spilled around Alastari than he realized, and a lot of Lost Cities that want to live again. If you have some old ruins near your house, and there's an arena where people are bleeding and dying, you've got trouble coming. This is now your story, too. It's all a plot, and probably a dark one. Where is Daylight Savings time when you need it? * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * ---===DELARQUAN REGIONAL NEWS===--- Duelmasters ----------- DM 1 MORDANT (turn 492): WISPER of SWEORDMASTERS (Mannequin, mgr.) DM 2 NIANIA (turn 377): TOOFLESS of GLORY BOUND TROLLS (DeGotti, mgr.) DM 3 OSKSI (turn 497): WHIP SCORPION of SIMPLY DESSERTS (Sweet Tooth, mgr.) DM 4 JHELUM (turn 493): CHASM OF IGNORANCE of UTOPIA RELIGIOSO (Neon Necromancer) DM 5 KALTOS (turn 492): SUX0R of MORE NEW TEAMS 2 (The Muffin Man, mgr.) DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 496): MEDUSA of BATTLE BEASTS (Sensei Jan, mgr.) DM 7 BONSUR (turn 493): DIGGER WASP of FLAGG'S CHAMPIONS (Flagg, mgr.) DM 10 KOLACT (turn 488): BLING BLING of TERRAPIN STATION (Floyd, mgr.) DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 479): SCOURGE of THUNDR + LITENING (Doc Steele, mgr.) DM 21 SUNSET (turn 478): KITTY CHOWDER of CARNAGE CANARIES (C. Canary, mgr.) DM 36 JHANS (turn 452): HALO 14 of BLIND HYPOCRISY (Jekyll, mgr.) DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 443): HARI CANE of JINDA-BAN (Zin, mgr.) DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 193): TAMMY FAYE of WITLESS WONDERS (Berylstar, mgr.) DM 42 RODEKI (turn 430): GATE WITCH of FLAGG'S FIVE (Flagg, mgr.) DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 378): APPLE of FRUITS (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.) DM 54 TROCAR (turn 179): MERGEN of THE BLACK COMPANY (Woelfe, mgr.) DM 59 ILLIS (turn 167): MACAULIFFE of THE EXPLORERS (Kellog, mgr.) DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 328): AKLAR of MITHRAL HALO (Barnabas, mgr.) DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 144): CONSTANTINE of AGELESS WONDER (Belyn, mgr.) ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 371): DOONE of FLAGG 16 from RODEKI (Flagg, mgr.) Top Teams --------- DM 1 MORDANT (turn 492): HOMICIDAL MANIACS (Nick, mgr.) DM 2 NIANIA (turn 377): RESURRECTION (Shocking Toad, mgr.) DM 3 OSKSI (turn 497): THE NUKES (Fusion, mgr.) DM 4 JHELUM (turn 493): THE DREIHDENS 2 (Dreihdenflahg, mgr.) DM 5 KALTOS (turn 492): THE MIDDLE WAY 5 (Nick, mgr.) DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 496): BATTLE BEASTS (Sensei Jan, mgr.) DM 7 BONSUR (turn 493): FLOWER CHILDREN (Ebenezer Frothingslosh, mgr.) DM 10 KOLACT (turn 488): MEGAWARRIORS (Matrix, mgr.) DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 479): CENTER FOR OLDS (Suave, mgr.) DM 21 SUNSET (turn 478): CARNAGE CANARIES (C. Canary, mgr.) DM 36 JHANS (turn 452): KAMIKAZI (?, mgr.) DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 443): JINDA-BAN (Zin, mgr.) DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 193): CHEAP SHOTS (?, mgr.) DM 42 RODEKI (turn 430): DELVERS (Nick, mgr.) DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 378): DARK HORSEMEN (Nick, mgr.) DM 54 TROCAR (turn 179): none DM 59 ILLIS (turn 167): COLOUR GUARDS (Captain Crayola, mgr.) DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 328): MITHRAL HALO (Barnabas, mgr.) DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 144): none ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 371): LEGENDS OF STEELE (Doc Steele, mgr.) Recent Graduates ----------------- DM 3 OSKSI (turn 497): WHIP SCORPION of SIMPLY DESSERTS (Sweet Tooth, mgr.) DM 5 KALTOS (turn 492): SUX0R of MORE NEW TEAMS 2 (The Muffin Man, mgr.) DM 10 KOLACT (turn 488): BLING BLING of TERRAPIN STATION (Floyd, mgr.) DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 479): SCOURGE of THUNDR + LITENING (Doc Steele, mgr.) PAUL of SHEPHERDS (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.) (turn 478): WONDER BRA of THE GUARDIANS II (Guardian, mgr.) BOOTER of BURN N' PILLAGE (Jolly, mgr.) DM 21 SUNSET (turn 477): SONJA BLOODBANE of THE BLOODBANES (Stik, mgr.) SPY REPORT I was going on vacation, see? Surf, sun... But what do those bums say? "Hit the road, Debby Tonte. JHANS needs a spyreport." Oh, well. I don't wanna hurt anybody's feelings or anything, but SHADOW SOLDIERS really goofed with their 0-0-0. VAGRANT REGIME like really fought hard to move up to 4th from 12th. Way to go! MVP award for SUBZERO? KAMIKAZI's proud of him after beating RAVAGE and getting 22 points. Talk about yer major upsets! RAVAGE's match with SUBZERO cost him a loss of 19 points! This Duelmaster is like something else! HALO 14 stopped MAC dead in his tracks! I hear the top team insists all their warriors get nine hours sleep. They want photogenic fighters for PR photos. So just why would someone becomes a warrior anyway? It can't be for these really neat Spyreports can it? BLIND HYPOCRISY was JHANS' most avoided team. Is there some award for that? I don't know what SUICIDAL DREAMS' been doing. They certainly haven't been accepting many fights from BLIND HYPOCRISY, that's fer sher. Can LITTLE GIRLS LIKE...'s ANOTHER BLANKEE be more popular than me? She was challenged the most, but is that really the same? See if I ever talk to KILL'EM KREPP again! CAIN was so low when He challenged he. Hhmph! I was sorry to see such an unfair "fight" in JHANS. KILL'EM KREPP got 2 points after beating CAIN, 19 points below him. BIBIDY-BOBIDY-BOO is being unfair. She's challenged down 31 against WRETCHED WIGHT. I don't know why they let this stuff go on. (I'd better shut up) If BIBIDY-BOBIDY-BOO can't beat a warrior 31 points below herself, that she CHALLENGED, she oughtta be selling food in the stands! Some fights are really unfair. How do you think CRACKED DOLL feels about being challenged by JEALOUSY RAINS, 19 points above her? A lotta people lost a lotta money in a lotta bets, when JEALOUSY RAINS challenged CRACKED DOLL, 19 points below and lost! Send 'im to the Dark Arena! Ooh! Did LUCA really know what she was doing when she challenged ARACHNE? A 2-0-0 speaks volumes. (Zontoni said that. I don't know what it means.) Like, was that some fighting on LUCA's part, or what? And she got 24 points out of it! (besides getting in my report) Poor ARACHNE. For sure, I was holding my breath when I found out LUCIFERI challenged CONFESSION. After all, haven't THE BREW CREW and BLIND HYPOCRISY had a long standing duel in JHANS? It wasn't a spectacular fight, or anything, but CONFESSION wants me to write about it since he was bested by LUCIFERI. Satisfied? Challenges, revenges, Bloodfeuds. All JHANS ever talks about is fighting! Me, I'm more laid back. What a bummer! MAC got wasted by HALO 14! But with a 8-10-2, I guess BLITZKRIEG aren't too bummed. Fight, fight, fight. Is that all you guys can do? I really didn't, you know, study when I was a kid. Who would've guessed I'd be a famous Spyreporter? I know how much you like reading this stuff, but I really should stop. I had a fun time, see you later-- Debby Tonte DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME HALO 14 5711 13 9 2 109 BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME -POSTMASTER P 5182 20 11 0 133 HELTER SKELTER (256) PINK BEAR 5883 17 8 1 94 LITTLE GIRLS LIKE... (515) CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME KATHLEEN 5865 16 10 0 79 BABES (416) CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME KERRY BEAR 3994 9 6 0 66 BLITZKRIEG (271) UNION JACK 6015 10 0 0 60 BLITZKRIEG (271) ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME SKIRZA SLAPSTIK 5996 8 3 0 55 THE FALLEN (524) DONNA 5966 6 6 0 53 BABES (416) SUBZERO 6120 4 0 0 50 KAMIKAZI (533) OBLIVIOUS 6101 5 0 0 49 KAMIKAZI (533) DRIPS 6066 5 2 0 46 STDS (534) MARCIE 6076 3 3 0 41 BABES (416) -MAZRIM 5911 6 1 0 38 IRON TIGERS (484) SLAYIN STAYNER 5891 5 0 0 38 ANARKYSTS (341) -BRICKHOUSE 5960 8 1 0 35 SECTION HATE (491) TROJAN MAN 5710 7 5 2 34 BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) KANE 6020 4 0 0 34 THE BREW CREW (526) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME HUGGY BEAR 6002 7 4 0 33 SUICIDAL DREAMS (525) CLURACAN 6035 5 1 0 31 THE DREAMING (529) BADDA BAMM 6075 4 3 0 31 SUICIDAL DREAMS (525) -FRANCOIS 6038 3 1 0 30 SHADOW SOLDIERS (530) ARACHNE 5712 3 2 0 29 BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME LUCA 4653 2 0 0 29 THE CRIMSON TIDE (426) WRETCHED WIGHT 6132 1 1 0 29 VAGRANT REGIME (539) TIKI BOB 6004 8 4 0 28 BLITZKRIEG (271) RAVAGE 5993 7 4 0 28 THE FALLEN (524) DEVASTATOR 6079 3 4 0 28 THE FALLEN (524) SCORPINE 6119 3 1 0 28 KAMIKAZI (533) KILL'EM KREPP 5892 5 0 0 27 ANARKYSTS (341) LUCIFERI 6018 3 1 0 27 THE BREW CREW (526) SLASHIN' SPECK 5854 5 10 1 26 ANARKYSTS (341) TANTRIC 6036 5 4 1 26 BLITZKRIEG (271) MR. ANDERSON 6043 4 2 0 25 THE MATRIX (531) PIGFEED PICKTAN 6124 3 0 0 25 ANARKYSTS (341) -DEL MONTE 6115 2 1 0 25 SHADOW SOLDIERS (530) HOPE DESTRUCTOR 6131 2 0 0 24 VAGRANT REGIME (539) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME SHADOW STARR 5999 5 6 1 22 SUICIDAL DREAMS (525) LEOTSU 4655 2 0 0 21 THE CRIMSON TIDE (426) BRAIN COLLECTOR 6134 2 0 0 21 VAGRANT REGIME (539) CRACKED DOLL 6133 1 1 0 21 VAGRANT REGIME (539) JEALOUSY RAINS 5995 3 8 1 18 THE FALLEN (524) -CLUTCH SHUTTLE 6060 3 1 0 17 HELTER SKELTER (256) BIBIDY-BOBIDY-BOO 6085 4 2 2 16 SUICIDAL DREAMS (525) CONFESSION 6003 4 2 0 16 BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) -BASHFUL COMPLEX 6113 1 0 0 15 ABYSMAL BEHAVIORS (538) BADDA BANG 6013 2 8 0 14 THE FALLEN (524) DRIVER 6055 3 3 1 13 KAMIKAZI (533) -BLUEBEARD 6029 1 0 0 13 SUPERIOR HORDE 196L (528) SHAWNDA 6032 3 3 0 12 THE DREAMING (529) DEATH STRYKE 6019 1 3 0 12 THE BREW CREW (526) -DEWCLAW 6100 1 0 0 12 IRON TIGERS (484) -FRANKENSLOSH 5901 3 1 0 11 HELTER SKELTER (256) CORINTHIAN 6034 2 4 1 11 THE DREAMING (529) -THE ONE 6046 2 0 0 11 THE MATRIX (531) -ENVIOUS KING 6109 1 0 1 11 ABYSMAL BEHAVIORS (538) FROSTY MCCLOUD 6086 2 4 0 10 SUICIDAL DREAMS (525) REAPER 6150 1 0 0 10 KAMIKAZI (533) CHIEF BLING-BLING$ 6091 1 3 0 10 THE DREAMING (529) -STRIKER 6093 2 2 1 9 SECTION HATE (491) -KRAZY KLOWN 6023 2 3 0 9 SHATTERED DREAMS (527) DUSTY CHERUB 6135 1 1 0 9 VAGRANT REGIME (539) -MOGASH 6037 2 2 0 8 SHADOW SOLDIERS (530) CHLAMYDIA 6148 1 0 0 8 STDS (534) -DEFIANCE 6122 1 2 0 8 SECTION HATE (491) SYPHILIS 6129 1 2 0 8 STDS (534) -AGENT SMITH 6042 1 1 0 8 THE MATRIX (531) -BUDDHA/NEW 6058 1 3 1 7 SHATTERED DREAMS (527) CAIN 6073 1 4 0 7 THE DREAMING (529) -LIL' DEAD GIRL 6081 1 2 0 6 SHATTERED DREAMS (527) PSYCHO 6017 1 3 0 6 THE BREW CREW (526) JACK RIPPER 4651 1 1 1 5 THE CRIMSON TIDE (426) BROWN KITTY TOO 6118 1 2 0 5 LITTLE GIRLS LIKE... (515) -DARK ANGEL 6025 0 5 0 5 SHATTERED DREAMS (527) -DYNIT 6083 1 1 0 4 IRON TIGERS (484) NIGHTWING 6092 1 1 0 4 THE BREW CREW (526) -BADDA BLING 6080 0 3 0 3 SHATTERED DREAMS (527) ANOTHER BLANKEE 6117 0 3 0 3 LITTLE GIRLS LIKE... (515) WASTEM WUORNOS 6123 0 3 0 3 ANARKYSTS (341) CAVEMAN 4652 0 2 0 2 THE CRIMSON TIDE (426) -PROMISCUOUS QUEEN 6112 0 1 0 1 ABYSMAL BEHAVIORS (538) POCOHONTAS 6137 0 1 0 1 LITTLE GIRLS LIKE... (515) -POLITE BEGGAR 6111 0 1 0 1 ABYSMAL BEHAVIORS (538) INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME TRICH 6147 0 1 0 1 STDS (534) '-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn. THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge? KILROY WUZ HERE 6139 0 2 0 BLIND HYPOCRISY 504 RIPPLES DORRIGAN 23 453 NONE MAC 3965 8 10 2 BLITZKRIEG 271 HALO 14 5711 453 STARK 5905 6 7 1 IRON TIGERS 484 MAC 3965 450 REVENGED BIG BED 6088 1 4 1 LITTLE GIRLS LIKE 515 WURM KIN 27 453 NONE SILVER KITTY 6116 0 1 0 LITTLE GIRLS LIKE 515 ENVIOUS KING 6109 451 ERRUPTION 6094 0 4 0 SECTION HATE 491 SHADOW STARR 5999 452 PAPI 6039 0 1 0 SHADOW SOLDIERS 530 STRIKER 6093 449 REVENGED MAREK 6041 0 3 0 SHADOW SOLDIERS 530 BIBIDY-BOBIDY-BO 6085 451 RAIMONDO 6114 0 3 0 SHADOW SOLDIERS 530 BIBIDY-BOBIDY-BO 6085 452 PHOENIX 6138 0 1 0 SHADOW SOLDIERS 530 JACK RIPPER 4651 452 'E' COLE I 6065 1 1 1 STDS 534 BANDIT PRINCE 25 453 NONE PERSONAL ADS Up-In-Ya -- We are very happy to allow you to fight with us. We, too, would like nothing more than The Firm guys to show back up. We organized this contest to show them that this was our home and that they were just visitors. Who knows, maybe they will show before it is all over! -- Polarius P.S. I hope some of the stuff I sent you was useful. Jhans -- Quote of the day: "I voted for it before I voted against it." Now what kind of idiot would say that? Oh wait, after a little bit of consideration I don't guess I want to get into a stupid quote war! -- Polarius Bookie -- Do you remember the old team Slayers of Beh? I miss Behig Jim. He had a loud mouth. -- Polarius Kamakazi -- Congrats on the top team. I plan on taking my spot back! -- Blitzkrieg Crimson Tide -- Sweet 16, Baby! -- Blitz Skirza -- I doubt you could do that again! -- Kerry Attention Offensive Warriors -- Would you please report to the Champions immediately. I need someone I can beat! -- Mac Sorry for there being no Kill Contest Update last turn! I'll try to get them in timely in the future. -- Polarius Bookie -- Didn't get time to reply last turn, which was fine as my strat's were delayed. I'm back in town to make sure that Cosmo doesn't bypass me in kills. -- Nunzio "the Sexorcist" Frothingslosh Erruption -- Ha-ha! You fell for my master plan. I was planning on letting you beat the hell out of me before I turned the tide and killed you. Ha-ha! You thought you had me...you thought you had me! I rolled over you like Bama over Stanford in the NCAA tournament! Thanks for the win and kill! Sucker.... -- Shadow Starr P.S. Roll Tide Roll!! Rainmondo -- (singing) Bloodfeuded by you. You thought I was screwed. Bibidy- Bobidy-Boo...I jumped you instead, now you too are dead. Bibidy-bobidy, flippidy- floppidy, thanks man for kill number two! -- Bibidy Woelfe -- Wanna try that again? (evil grin) I told you to send Mogash didn't I? -- Bookie P.S. Next time Bibidy asks 'cake or death?'...tell your guys to choose cake...for your sake do it. Pappa Bear -- I said send in an ad, not kick Bamm's ass with Marcie. (shrug) That's what I get, huh? -- Bookie Trojan Man -- For the love of God what are your defenses? Next time we fight stand the froth still! -- Frosty Drips -- Consider yourself family. (evil grin) Still gonna try to kill ya but you're family now. (grin) -- Bookie Sir Chester -- Welcome to the KLK! Anything we can do, just ask. Hope the stuff we sent ya helps! It is too bad about The Firm. They got all scared and ran away. No more Firm to play with. (shrug) Guess we all know what THEY are made of. -- Bookie Vagrant Regime -- Welcome to Jhans! Manager name and alliance (if any) would be useful info for the kill contest. I hope you grow to love Jhans as much as I do! I've got to warn you: this arena is pretty fierce right now. I sincerely hope you'll stay around for a while! Swords high! -- Bookie All -- I'm a little shocked to have an early lead in the kill contest. I've got 3 and there's a ton of people right behind me with 1. I can't lie; I'd really love to win a contest in my home arena after taking such a long break from the game. I'm not sure what lies ahead but I'm sure it will be interesting. Good luck to us all and may Jhans continue to grow and prosper! -- Bookie All -- Oh by the way, I hope you all stick around for our next contest "Capture the Flag" that will begin 3 turns after the end of the kill contest. Every team will be given a flag-bearer and for ten turns you will defend your own flag and try to capture all the opposing team flags you can. If you graduate a warrior who holds a flag(s) you have crossed the finish-line and have won that flag. At the end of ten turns we'll tally all the flags you've "captured" and have in your team's possession. You get two points for your own flag and one point for all the others. All fights will be winners-take-all and a warrior can carry as many flags as he can win. I'm already starting to beg for prizes from RSI so maybe we can really attract some people into the arena. That's a rough-draft for the next contest. Anyone interested in sticking around? (grin) About three turns after this contest will be next year's kill contest so (if things work out) Jhans will have something interesting going year-round. Hope to see you there! -- Bookie Polarius -- No kill-contest report? You're slippin' dude. -- Bookie Jinkx -- Runnin' away? Thought you have bigger juevos. -- Bookie Editor -- Calling Iver a "vibrator seller" isn't an insult, that's actually an accurate job-description for him. He works in an adult store, FYI. -- Bookie Ah, that makes more sense. -- Ed. All/Editor -- Does anyone know if the TRICORUS ARENA-DM-51 is shut down...and if it is, is there any chance of moving a team that is already there to an arena that you have a team already in place? -- Up-In-Ya/STDS No, it's still limping along. It runs the day after Jhans. -- Ed. P.S. That fact that it's still going means you can only move a team from there into a transfer arena, of course. Polarius -- Heeee...heeee...haaa....harrrrr...really enjoy your personals...I always get a good laugh out of them. Keep 'em coming! -- Up-In-Ya Shadow -- No! I think I'll pass on your offer, it sounds like a trick? -- Drips!!! Bookie -- By now you should have the information and hope you can give me some help? -- Up-In-Ya! All -- Here are two new gladiators for you to pick on..."Trich" and Chlamydia! Good luck! -- STDS stable Ravage -- Very nice desp. strat for a Harkeny! See you later...better get a check up after all those cuts, old boy. You possibly caught something? Congrats on your win. Smile! -- Drips Confession -- I have a confession to make...my manager is a little crazy at times and he says if I lose a few more fights, I could end up in the Dark Arena doing the duel with one of those beasts who only fight during the late hours of the night...can you help me get an easy win under my belt or what...I'm getting a little desperate here! -- Syphilis!!! a little worried! Polarius -- I am in hopes that Bookie does become elected Mayor of Jhans. That way my family could live off of all the taxes and we could become phat from the free handouts and all the cheese we could eat. I will vote if there is an election...bet your last on that! -- Drips! Editor -- Could you please give us a list of the managers whom are active in Jhans? Thank you! -- Up-In-Ya! Here's what I have at the moment. These are teams listed in last turn's newsletter. If I've missed someone or gotten something wrong, just let me know and I'll fix it. -- The Saint, keeper of lists ABYSMAL BEHAVIORS Silver Stroke SHATTERED DREAMS Hoss ANARKYSTS Nunzio Frothingslosh STDS Up-In-Ya BABES Papa Bear SUICIDAL DREAMS Bookie BLIND HYPOCRISY Jekyll SUPERIOR HORDE 196L Youngblood BLITZKRIEG Polarius THE BREW CREW ? HELTER SKELTER Cosmo Frothingslosh THE CRIMSON TIDE ? IRON TIGERS Jinx THE DREAMING ? KAMIKAZI ? THE FALLEN Azrael LITTLE GIRLS LIKE... Shocking Toad THE MATRIX Marshal D? SECTION HATE Philthy Phil VAGRANT REGIME Chain SHADOW SOLDIERS Woelfe Bookie -- Really didn't appreciate that loss...nor the second one! Suppose I just keep fighting until one of the other gladiators puts me six feet under? Those two "L's" won't be the only ones I'll have, but I have not seen many who go without dropping a few. I'd rather be killed on the sands than drop below .500!!! -- Drips All -- If any of you have seen my mother/grandmother or sister please inform me of their whereabouts a.s.a.p.! Than you...the lost of you are just too nice. -- Drips...looking for loved ones! All -- Let's see what happens this time...hope that I can come up with a kill soon. -- Up-In-Ya All -- I'll stick around after this kill or be killed is over; that way you have some one to beat on! HA!!! -- Up-In-Ya!!! laughing like a mad man!!! Drips -- Great fight. I got lucky mate. -- Ravage Sir Chester -- Welcome to the KLK. -- Azrael, manager of the Fallen Kerry Bear -- You give good fight. Me Skirza finally beat you though. -- Skirza Shocking Toad -- Only thing "shocking" about you is you couldn't figure out Bookie's team is the same as is Osksi. -- Azrael Turtle -- 3-1 for top team. But what happened to that bad-ass waste you sent in? -- Azrael Bookie -- How come no one ever picks cake? -- Azrael Huggy Bear -- Crash here? Fo' shizzle. -- Jealousy Rains Brickhouse -- I get my damage bump, say g'night little one. -- Jealousy Rains P.S. Stop looking at my legs. Outloud -- This is my last turn for a while. Hope I don't pull another scum. -- Badda Bang Ed. -- Can you relay that I want Badda Bang removed from maintenance or do I need to call it in? -- Badda Bang ID #6013 What am I, a telegraph? *grin* I've passed this along, though my guess would be that it won't go into effect until next turn. I don't usually see these until the game has run (I don't do the typing). -- Ed. All -- Someone challenge us for Arena dominance? Bookie, surely you jest. No alliance has the prerequisite backbone to show their faces here. Whether whole or split, the KLK rules Jhans. -- Azrael, mgr. of the Fallen and Director of Ass- whoopin' in Jhans KLK Alliance Brown Kitty Too -- Devastated you. -- Devastator All -- Who do I got to pay to see Trojan Man vs. any STDS warrior? -- Ravage All -- Questions for everyone. Why does everyone leave after they fight me. Bookie -- Wuzz up Bookie? How's it going. All -- Mess with the KLK you will die. P. Diddi -- I got your back. 3 March 2004 MONGO'S MARDI GRAS MADNESS DUELMASTERS AUCTION Mongo, aka Matt McIntosh and ex-Warden of the Dark Circle, is auctioning off his entire collection of Duelmasters warriors and stables. Don't miss out on this chance to own some fantastic warriors! There are ADM warriors available in every class from Primus to Freshmen, as well as over a dozen Basic stables. Does a Slasher with +4 attack, +4 decisiveness, +3 initiative and +2 riposte sound good? How about a Lunger who received the benefit of a TC prize, has TVed three times after graduating--and still hasn't maxed out his skills!? How about a Striker in the Freshmen class who has decisiveness for a favorite learn and the MAUL for a favorite weapon!? Or perhaps you prefer playing in Basic. Then how does a stable with four Adept class warriors who have a combined record of 41-19-9 sound? Or maybe a stable with three 21-Will warriors? Or perhaps a stable with four Initiates and a Rookie who have a combined record of 23-6-1? The quality of the lots is excellent. All you need to view and bid on the lots is go to: http://members.aol.com/jvmerlino/mardigras.html If you want to be on the mailing list to receive regular updates on the auction, just send an e-mail to JVMerlino@aol.com. Merlin, aka John Merlino and also an ex- Warden of the Dark Circle, will be running this auction for me. I just moved to New Orleans and am likely currently stumbling around the French Quarter...because it's Mardi Gras! So I have named my auction in honor of this occasion. The auction will start on Saturday, March 13th, 2004, and will continue for several weeks. But you should get your bids in early if you want your best chance at owning any of these fantastic warriors and stables. Many thanks to all for your interest and your bids, Mongo 5 March 2004 Style Masters Symposium Hosted by Hammer The years have slipped by and many DM Managers have come and gone since the last Hammer's Handbook was compiled and printed. There is now a stirring within me to begin writing and editing yet another Handbook with a distribution date sometime in 2005. This Handbook will be made available via Email with a possibility of burning the info to a CD for distribution. Special arrangements will be made to provide the information via printed page to those contributors who are serving sentences behind bars. The working title of this new Handbook is "Style Masters Symposium Hosted by Hammer". Distribution of this Handbook is projected to be MAINLY for those DM Managers who contribute information/articles to Hammer by June 2004. Informative and entertaining articles should focus on insights regarding Any or All 10 Style Masters for both the Basic and ADM arenas as well as Tourney competition. Articles focusing on Weapons/Armor are also encouraged for inclusion. Whether you are a Newbie Manager without a clue or a Jaded Veteran; everyone has discovered something about this gaming experience that is both Insightful and Entertaining. Email Your Articles to HammerDM@fastermail.com or send them via Diplo to either Flower Hammerz (372) in DM 28 or Casino Hammerz (576) in DM 33. Length and Content of the Style Masters Symposium Hosted by Hammer will be Determined by the Quality and Quantity of Contributors Combined with the Literary Efforts of Hammer who is currently overseas for an indefinite period of time. Articles Contributed for this Project should be of Sufficient Length and Content to Warrant being Included to Receive the Finished Document when Hammer has completed this literary work to His satisfaction. Managers contributing articles are also requested to include a DM Bio of Themselves along with any Notable Successes and/or Failures during Their DM Career in Basic, ADM and/or Tourney Play. A listing of Active Stables would also be Helpful for Anyone Seeking to Reply to Contributors via Diplo, Email or Snailmail. May Your Blades Be Sharp And Your Wits Sharper! -- Hammer of Flower Hammerz (372) DM 28 and Casino Hammerz (576) DM 33 18 March 2004 St. Valentine's Day Massacre Update We are pleased to announce that the kLk sponsored St. Valentine's Day Massacre kill contest in DM 36 is off to a great start. We are also pleased to announce that in addition to the 10 team rollups we are also able to offer the renaming of a dark arena warrior as a prize to the manager with the most kills. The contest is only 2 turns old and is still wide open. There are currently 5 managers tied with one kill each. Anything can still happen so hurry up and get into the arena. On a personal note, no other alliances have entered the arena in force to challenge the kLk dominance. We were expecting The Firm to put up a fight for their supposed home arena. But, they were a no show. Guess they proved what they are really made of. *evil grin* Perhaps another alliance would like to step in to give us a challenge. We are throwing down the gauntlet. Perhaps the Chaos Inc. boys I keep hearing about would like to step in and challenge the kLk for arena dominance. If you don't show up, Chaos, don't feel bad. FAR better managers than you have been invited into Jhans but have chosen to pass on the offer. So if you consider yourself worthy to compete, like fierce competition, and enjoy arenas where the personals are as fierce as the fighting, come visit JHANS DM 36. We're already planning our next contest, "Capture the Flag," and have a storyline being actively worked on in the arena. Whatever you like about DM you can find it in JHANS. Bookie mgr. of Suicidal Dreams and Director Jhans Board of Tourism kLk Alliance 27 March 2004 This notice is to inform the DM world that CHAOS INC. has added CHEETO to its ranks. He joins APEX, FLAGG, MATRIX, ASSAMITE, and RUDE BUDDHA as the 6th member. May your chaotic wings spread disaster and CHAOS for all your days! Welcome CHEETO!! 27 March 2004 Has anyone seen it in print that the "Goat" is leaving the "Cartel"? There were some diplos to the effect of a special branch of the Cartel being formed, like secret societies, governmental agencies and alliances certain agendas are developed. To obtain the desired effect of any agenda only key personnel can be used. The "Goat" is "Cartel" so until you see it with me announcing that I am not Cartel, remember, "The Agenda of the Core is for you to fight for." I hope this stops the confusion. -- Goat LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS BIG BED was butchered by WURM KIN in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight. 'E' COLE I was slaughtered by BANDIT PRINCE in a 1 minute Dark Arena battle. KILROY WUZ HERE was easily killed by RIPPLES DORRIGAN in a 1 minute Dark Arena match. OBLIVIOUS luckily beat MARCIE in a crowd pleasing 4 minute bloody Challenge duel. KERRY BEAR savagely defeated SKIRZA SLAPSTIK in a exciting 6 minute Challenge fight. DONNA was unbelievably bested by UNION JACK in a popular 3 minute Challenge duel. KILL'EM KREPP beat CAIN in a 2 minute gory amateur's Challenge brawl. TANTRIC viciously subdued DUSTY CHERUB in a 1 minute gruesome Challenge melee. BIBIDY-BOBIDY-BOO was vanquished by WRETCHED WIGHT in a 1 minute Challenge duel. FROSTY MCCLOUD was vanquished by HOPE DESTRUCTOR in a 1 minute Challenge duel. JEALOUSY RAINS was overpowered by CRACKED DOLL in a 1 minute uneven Challenge match. CAVEMAN was savagely defeated by MR. ANDERSON in a exciting 2 minute Challenge fight. ANOTHER BLANKEE was bested by SYPHILIS in a 1 minute amateur's Challenge conflict. LUCIFERI subdued CONFESSION in a 3 minute bloody Challenge match. SCORPINE beat TROJAN MAN in a 5 minute amateur vs. veteran upset Challenge conflict. CHIEF BLING-BLING$ defeated BROWN KITTY TOO in a 2 minute Challenge struggle. LUCA overpowered ARACHNE in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge brawl. HALO 14 butchered MAC in a 1 minute one-sided Title fight. KATHLEEN was subdued by PINK BEAR in a exciting 5 minute gory veteran's bout. RAVAGE was handily defeated by SUBZERO in a 1 minute mismatched competition. DRIPS savagely defeated TIKI BOB in a action packed 3 minute brutal fight. HUGGY BEAR savagely defeated DRIVER in a 2 minute gruesome fray. SLAYIN STAYNER handily defeated SHADOW STARR in a 1 minute one-sided contest. SLASHIN' SPECK was narrowly defeated by CLURACAN in a popular 4 minute fight. KANE vanquished SHAWNDA in a 1 minute one-sided match. CORINTHIAN was vanquished by PIGFEED PICKTAN in a 1 minute brutal one-sided fight. BADDA BANG was vanquished by BADDA BAMM in a 1 minute uneven bout. DEVASTATOR handily defeated WASTEM WUORNOS in a 1 minute uneven bout. DEATH STRYKE overpowered TRICH in a 1 minute uneven competition. PSYCHO was overpowered by BRAIN COLLECTOR in a 1 minute one-sided fight. LEOTSU vanquished NIGHTWING in a 1 minute one-sided fray. JACK RIPPER was beaten by REAPER in a popular 1 minute novice's match. POCOHONTAS was savagely defeated by CHLAMYDIA in a 2 minute novice's bout. BATTLE REPORT MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS |FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT| |LUNGING ATTACK 22 WALL OF STEEL 25 - 11 - 0 69 | |STRIKING ATTACK 10 TOTAL PARRY 37 - 20 - 0 65 | |BASHING ATTACK 8 STRIKING ATTACK 41 - 38 - 6 52 | |TOTAL PARRY 8 BASHING ATTACK 27 - 31 - 2 47 | |WALL OF STEEL 4 LUNGING ATTACK 73 - 105 - 9 41 | |SLASHING ATTACK 4 AIMED BLOW 6 - 12 - 0 33 | |PARRY-STRIKE 3 SLASHING ATTACK 12 - 26 - 2 32 | |AIMED BLOW 2 PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 3 - 0 25 | |PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 PARRY-STRIKE 2 - 10 - 0 17 | |PARRY-LUNGE 0 PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 5 - 0 17 | Turn 453 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: BASHING ATTACK 6 - 2 LUNGING ATTACK 7 - 15 3 WALL OF STEEL STRIKING ATTACK 7 - 3 SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 3 2 LUNGING ATTACK PARRY-STRIKE 2 - 1 AIMED BLOW 0 - 2 2 STRIKING ATTACK TOTAL PARRY 5 - 3 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 2 TOTAL PARRY WALL OF STEEL 2 - 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 2 1 AIMED BLOW 1 BASHING ATTACK TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME LUNGING ATTACK HALO 14 5711 13 9 2 109 BLIND HYPOCRISY (504) WALL OF STEEL PINK BEAR 5883 17 8 1 94 LITTLE GIRLS LIKE... (515) STRIKING ATTACK KERRY BEAR 3994 9 6 0 66 BLITZKRIEG (271) TOTAL PARRY UNION JACK 6015 10 0 0 60 BLITZKRIEG (271) BASHING ATTACK SUBZERO 6120 4 0 0 50 KAMIKAZI (533) Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above. The overall popularity leader is KERRY BEAR 3994. The most popular warrior this turn was KERRY BEAR 3994. The ten other most popular fighters were DRIPS 6066, KATHLEEN 5865, PINK BEAR 5883, DONNA 5966, MARCIE 6076, TROJAN MAN 5710, SLASHIN' SPECK 5854, MR. ANDERSON 6043, CHLAMYDIA 6148, and CONFESSION 6003. The least popular fighter this week was NIGHTWING 6092. The other ten least popular fighters were PSYCHO 6017, TRICH 6147, WASTEM WUORNOS 6123, BADDA BANG 6013, CORINTHIAN 6034, SHAWNDA 6032, SHADOW STARR 5999, TIKI BOB 6004, RAVAGE 5993, and ARACHNE 5712. NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS) For those of you who keep track of such things, 14 additional warriors graduated from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament: ABE SIMPSON (9-4453) SPRINGFIELD PB-LEAD (23-4385) ROCK-ETTS IV RATTLESNAKE SHAKE (60-4242) METAL MELTDOWN CHIP (60-4413) RESCUE RANGERS SLAKE (82-12993) WORD OF THE DAY DIS-COMBOBULATE (63-2222) DIS-TEAM RETARD (68-7501) POLITICALLYINCORRECT DARKSIDE (22-2714) LOST SOULS 1 ZHARRA TYL MEDAN (40-2586) SUPERIOR FORCES SMOOGIE (82-2247) STREET PIZZAD III ARATHEA (13-3318) THE ELITE PX (82-14364) SUPERIOR FORCES 1203 MIKE, POWERFUL (82-7051) MIKE THE HUNTER DIS-FUNCTIONAL (63-2223) DIS-TEAM -- Green Eyes