DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER
Date : 03/31/2004 Duedate: 04/27/2004
STORMCROWE ARENA
DM-45 TURN-215
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
ZINDELLA AZRON
MOJO P@TROL (451)
(45-3898) [10-4-0,108]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
ZINDELLA AZRON TWIGS
MOJO P@TROL (451) P.A.C. (462)
(45-3898) [10-4-0,108] (45-4003) [6-0-0,93]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
SUNFLASH DAGORA SAVON
NORTHERN LIGHTS (393) MOJO P@TROL (451)
(45-3474) [23-15-0,84] (45-3896) [8-6-1,50]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
MOJO P@TROL (451)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. VENDETTA INC. (463) 48
2. DARQUE FORCES (428) 48 MORDRED'S MADMEN (409)
3. MYTH TAKES (458) 31 Unchartered Team
4. MIKES MORGUE (460) 27
5. KNIGHT BREED (403) 19 P.A.C. (462)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 1*P.A.C. (462) 19 9 1 67.9 1/ 2 MOJO P@TROL (451) 12 3 1
2/ 2*MIKES MORGUE (460) 28 15 1 65.1 2/ 1*P.A.C. (462) 9 4 1
3- 3 DYNASTIC (433) 68 41 3 62.4 3/ 8*MIKES MORGUE (460) 8 7 0
4- 5 RESCUE RANGERS (205) 133 92 4 59.1 4- 3 DYNASTIC (433) 7 3 0
5/ 6 MORDRED'S MADMEN (409) 84 63 4 57.1 5/ 4 MORDRED'S MADMEN (409) 7 8 1
6/ 7 DARQUE FORCES (428) 125 110 7 53.2 6/11 DARQUE FORCES (428) 7 8 0
7/10 MOJO P@TROL (451) 36 33 2 52.2 7/15*VENDETTA INC. (463) 6 4 1
8- 8 AVID FANS (65) 113 105 10 51.8 8/ 7 SUPERIOR FORCES (310) 6 5 0
9/ 9 PENDRAGON CYCLE (426) 61 57 4 51.7 9/ 5 A DEAL'S DEAL (457) 6 9 1
10/ 0 KNIGHT BREED (403) 31 30 0 50.8 10/ 6 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393) 6 9 0
11/15*VENDETTA INC. (463) 10 10 1 50.0 11/12*CARTELLEVISSION (468) 5 5 1
12/ 4*CARTELLEVISSION (468) 5 5 1 50.0 12/ 9*MYTH TAKES (458) 5 10 0
13/13*MYTH TAKES (458) 22 23 1 48.9 13/16 PENDRAGON CYCLE (426) 4 11 0
14/11 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393) 90 99 1 47.6 14-13 RESCUE RANGERS (205) 3 2 0
15/12 EMETICS (406) 57 63 2 47.5 15/10 EMETICS (406) 3 6 0
16/14 SUPERIOR FORCES (310) 31 36 0 46.3 16-14 AVID FANS (65) 2 3 0
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
17/16 A DEAL'S DEAL (457) 17 33 1 34.0 17/ 0 KNIGHT BREED (403) 1 2 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
TEAM SPOTLIGHT
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* }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *
ABRAXIS sat back in his red velvet chair stroking his cat. Its hair was
starting to grow back after the Candy Man had shaved it. It felt coarse and scratchy
and looked ridiculous. The cat gave a plaintive mew as ABRAXIS began to ponder the
future.
He and C.F.H. had pulled away from the Cartel, taking with them only Goat and
Voo-Doo. Now, they were four, not thirty-four, and would have to remain steadfast.
The Druid had many spells in his repertoire, not a few of them capable of summoning
otherworldly assistance. Maybe it would be nice to have some help. 'Maybe a
vengeance demon,' he thought. 'No, too messy,' he decided. How about building a
golem. No, too slow. An automation, too slow as well. Finally, after much
deliberation, he decided to summon an earth elemental.
ABRAXIS, C.F.H., Goat and Voo-Doo sat together around a table in the "Wasted
Wench" Tavern. They had been swilling ale for hours and Voo-Doo had passed out.
ABRAXIS's cat was licking his face trying to rouse him while the men made their
plans. ABRAXIS pulled from his robes an ancient leather-bound tome, with runes
embossed across the front. C.F.H. could see that the volume was covered with dust
and in ill repair.
"Dammit man, why don't you take care of your things?" he intoned. ABRAXIS
simply shrugged his shoulders and opened the book. Shortly, he found what he was
looking for and shared his plans with his cohorts.
C.F.H. looked at the list of items that ABRAXIS required to summon the Elemental
and shook his head. "Mud from the heart of a swamp, no problem. We already have a
presence in North Fork," said the tattooed one.
Goat smiled gleefully and nodded his head.
ABRAXIS then spoke saying, "The mugwort and blessed thistle should be available
at any apothecary."
C.F.H. grunted, giving assent.
ABRAXIS continued, "The next item might be a problem though."
"Might be a problem," shouted an aghast C.F.H. "You want the feather of a
hippogriff and a scale from a chimera. Are you crazy?"
Goat turned white and swallowed in dismay.
ABRAXIS smiled and replied, "That should be no problem for such a fine warrior
as yourself, old friend!"
"The real problem will be the last item: a fork from the root of a living
punjab tree!"
"Why would that be a problem?" asked C.F.H.
"There's a whole grove of them outside of Stormcrowe."
The mysterious druid clicked his tongue and answered, "Not anymore, the goblins
in the arena harvested them all for timber and I don't know where any more are."
ABRAXIS raised his hand signaling the serving wench for another round while
C.F.H. stared at him in disbelief.
After the plans were made and much more ale consumed, ABRAXIS, C.F.H., and Goat
retired upstairs, with a bevy of the finest wenches in the tavern leaving Voo-Doo
face down in his ale. Another typical evening for the boys for Vendetta United.
>)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #77 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(<
Near Barikala:
The Golden Moon, Lady Protector Artemisia commanding, was approaching the Urt
Delta from the northeast as the day drew to a close. Her goal was Zukal, but as soon
as the ship came within sight of land, she would anchor and wait for daylight. The
maze of channels and islands that formed the delta was not something to attempt at
night. At least, not now. A decade ago there had been an intricate network of
beacons that a skilled and familiar pilot could use to reach the city's docks at any
hour, but the invasion from the East had put an end to that. The defenders had
destroyed the beacons to hamper their foes, and the triumphant invaders of Zukal had
neither the knowledge or desire to restore the system.
Artemisia's lip curled. The Easterners called the people of Alastari
barbarians, because many of their cultures were young. But if the 'civilized' old
cultures of the East didn't--or couldn't--restore safe shipping, who was the true
barbarian?
The lookout shouted that land was in sight, and Artemisia turned to squint into
the setting sun. But she was lower than the man on the mast and couldn't see the
dark line of the shore yet. With a shrug, she turned to look the other way,
searching the sky for a warning of the sudden storms that had given this great lake
its name. That horizon was clear, also. She didn't quite trust it, but...the sky
was clear and the wind was steady. Good enough, for now.
When she turned to the west again, she could see land herself, the long, dark
hump of Barikala Island, silhouetted against the crimson sky. The sun vanished from
sight, and its light was replaced by the broad, slightly greenish beam that shot
straight upward from the center of Barikala. Around her, the sailors moved to place
the ship in a safe position and run out the anchors for the night; her first officer
needed no instructions to handle that.
That beam of light over Barikala was also new since the invasion, and Artemisia
wished her friend Beag Magda were here. The Elf understood such things. Or at least
knew how to think about them, because nobody understood just what that blazing beacon
was...other than dangerous. No one who had landed on Barikala in the last few years
had returned from there to tell what they'd seen.
The lookout called down something else that she couldn't hear over the bustling
sounds of sails being lowered and anchor chains creaking off their drums. One of the
sailors halfway down the mast below him shouted up, got an answer, and came hurrying
down.
"Koro says there's something coming out through the delta," the sailor reported.
"He isn't sure what, the light's about gone, but it might be a group of canoes. They
aren't in a main channel, anyway."
Artemisia glanced to the side. Her first officer was there, as he should be.
"We may have an attack coming up," she said quietly.
He nodded and moved off to make sure the crew was ready.
Artemisia tapped her fingers on the hilt of her cutlass, reviewing
possibilities, then shrugged. It was useless to speculate without more information,
and dangerous to formulate plans under such circumstances. She would have to wait
upon events.
Zukal:
Ghenis glared down into the alley where the last of the soldiers were marching
past. Nothing had happened. The dark god he had believed he served had not
responded. The Ferencian was lying to them all. But somewhere, he knew, there was
such a dark demongod, and he vowed to find it. And the Ferencian liar would be the
first sacrifice....
He withdrew carefully from the roof above the alley. It would be a good idea to
get out of Zukal for a while. Out from under that liar Pelishtekan's eye, so that he
could think and lay his plans in relative safety. Niatoli Island, that's where he
would go. The false cult already had a 'mission' there, and Cousin Og would be his,
Ghenis's, first recruit.
The Isle of the Eye:
Beag Magda sat at a small table near the back of the Two Lilies and swirled the
last of the tea in her cup moodily. She had no fault to find with the Lilies, they
knew her here and always gave her the same table. And the tea, as usual, was
excellent. Something was wrong somewhere, but it was less definite--and more
important--than a problem with the service, or a mediocre cup of tea. She was almost
afraid to look into her cup.
That was nonsense. It was only the unknown that should be feared, and once she
read the tea leaves, the problem would not be unknown. Well, it would not be
completely unknown, but tea leaves were a very imprecise method of diagnosis and
prognostication. With a little shake, she threw off the dark mood, emptied the last
swallow of tea into the saucer, and peered into the cup at the leaves clinging to its
bottom and sides.
She could feel the hair trying to rise on the back of her neck. The leaves
seemed to be swimming in a web of shadows. The patterns they formed all indicated as
plainly as tea leaves could that something very dark was impending. But nothing was
clear. Who was menaced, and by what? How soon?
Beag Magda set the cup down very carefully, because her hand was trying to
shake, and laid coins beside it to pay for the tea. She needed more information, and
she couldn't get it here.
Stormcrowe:
Lord Protector Ipecac stalked ashore and glared around for someone to share his
outrage. Anyone who recognized him in time--and Stormcrowe was a small island with a
limited population who generally DID recognize one another--departed hastily. Lady
Protector Snowfall wasn't quite fast enough. "Do you know what HAPPENED?" Ipecac
demanded.
Looking distinctly queasy, Snowfall shook her head.
"My ship was ATTACKED," the warrior from Emetics snapped. He didn't notice when
the shapely woman flinched from his vehemence; people were always doing that around
him. He stalked closer, dropping his voice for privacy. "Monsters," he hissed.
"Demons out of the waves. Half shark, half man, you might say. Others like kraken.
They were summoned by a dark wizard on a black ship. We have to do something about
this."
Snowfall swallowed a couple of times, then said, "Why? And how?"
Ipecac raised his eyebrows. "You want to live on nothing but fish caught in the
harbor?" he asked. "They could blockade us! And what if they decide to come ashore
and attack us here on the island?" He frowned thoughtfully. "Probably it's part of
some Karnhorn plot, and if we don't nip it in the bud, they'll be all over us,
murdering and enslaving. Can't have that."
"No," Snowfall agreed faintly, "we can't have that. But how do we stop them?"
"We fight, of course!" He hesitated, perhaps realizing that such a plan was
lacking in useful details. "All the ships will have to be armed with...catapults,"
he suggested. "And...none of them going out alone. Yes. And we need to find any
wizards on the island and recruit them to help fight, and more importantly to find
out what we're up against. That's a beginning." He nodded firmly. "We need to
start right away!"
Snowfall turned quickly to the rail at the edge of the dock and fed the fish her
lunch, then straightened. "Yes, I can see that. Wizards, catapults, convoys. No
time to waste...."
>)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #78 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(<
Near Barikala:
Twilight rushed westward, following the sun and leaving darkness in its wake.
The stars gave more light than city people realized, but not enough to tell Artemisia
what was approaching around the blacker curve of Barikala island. Something was.
Probably the canoes her lookout had guessed: she could see the flicker of starlight
off what might be paddles rising and falling. That it was to be an attack, she
didn't doubt. There was no other reason for approaching in the darkness like this.
These waters were too dangerous for--
Something bumped against the side of her ship, scraped along it. Other bumps,
maybe a dozen...the canoes. The Lady Protector drew her cutlass and knew that her
crewmen were doing the same. Did these attackers really think she would be so
careless as not to notice their approach?
Something showed over the rail, dark against the dark water, but it gleamed
white briefly in the starlight. She took one long step forward and brought her blade
down on it. From close up, she could smell it, a horrible rotten-meat stink. It
fell away and hit the water and the canoe below with a sodden clunk-splash. There
was no time to think about it; another one was reaching over the rail beside it. She
cut sideways, then reversed to cut the other way at a third. Her crew was lined up
on either side of her, hacking steadily. There was no sound but their grunts of
effort, and their feet shifting on the deck.
"Not everyone here!" Artemisia commanded. "Mr. Horlon, take a half-dozen men
and watch the other rail before they come at us from behind!"
She could hear her first officer's low-voiced commands, and men moving out of
the line. The ones still fighting on this rail moved to cover the gaps in their
line; it was actually better now, because they had room to work.
"These are DEAD men!" one of her sailors exclaimed. "They're already DEAD!"
Zombies? Should that be possible with the Arcanum weakened? Not that it
mattered. Dead or alive, she didn't want them on her ship. "Make them twice dead,
then," she ordered.
In truth, the zombies were not hard to fight with. You had to dismember them to
get them to stop attacking, but they had no skill. Since her crew was more numerous,
the end was not in doubt.
And whoever had launched this attack must know that....
A feint? She wanted desperately to look around for the other attack, the real
one. But the problem with a really good distraction like this was that it was
dangerous. If you ignored it, then the distraction became the real attack.
Artemisia hacked at another zombie trying to climb over the rail and realized
that she had been able to see it very clearly. Too clearly for a moonless night.
She glanced up quickly and then froze. The pillar of light over Barikala had become
a roaring torrent, a blaze to match the sun...and there were shapes moving within the
shining column.
Approaching Niatoli Island:
Ghenis had settled for a small, fast ship, the kind that was used for smuggling
small cargoes. He'd been hunted in Zukal; he wasn't sure why. Had Pelishtekan
somehow guessed that he, Ghenis, had become a deadly enemy? It didn't seem possible,
since he'd spoken to no one of his plan, but maybe the damned Ferencian had ways....
In fact, the man must be a wizard of some kind to pull of the "divine signs" that had
appeared during the worship performances. Which was all the more reason not to go
back to Zukal until he had found the TRUE demongod.
There were men belonging to the cult who owned boats, but Ghenis had not gone to
one of them for transport. No point in making his trail obvious. Being a gladiator
gave him contacts Pelishtekan couldn't guess at. He'd rented the boat from a man who
asked no questions, a man who had been a gladiator on Barikala before the invasion.
Ghenis leaned back against the low cabin in the middle of the boat and began to
plan his operation on Niatoli. Contact his teammate, Cousin Og. Then...other
gladiators. Potential worshippers for the demongod, when he found It. And allies.
He'd have to raise some money, you couldn't start a rival cult without money.
Piracy, maybe, or a little treasure hunting. Maybe raid...Monuntial. Yeah, no one
would mind, no one that mattered to him, anyway, if he raided the invaders.
+ ]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+-----]|%{ *
---===FREE BLADES REGIONAL NEWS===---
Duelmasters
-----------
DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 488): ALEX GRIFFIN of DREAM PARK (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.)
DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 486): KNOTHEAD of BLOODSUCKERS (Way Cool, mgr.)
DM 15 MALCORN (turn 482): ABRA-HAM! of SACRILEGIOUS MEAT (Klep, mgr.)
DM 16 WILLAF (turn 482): ANTEZEL of WYLDERNESS WYLD (Barnabas, mgr.)
DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 480): GHENGIS KHAN of HEROESANDFOUNDONES (The Judge, mgr.)
DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 479): BLUE of THE SIERRAS (Barnabas, mgr.)
DM 28 MORYA (turn 239): PARADOX of SHADOW GATE (Shadowgate, mgr.)
DM 29 LAPUR (turn 471): SCRAPPA of CROC FILES (THawk, mgr.)
DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 237): HUNGRY BONES of UNFIT TO BE ORCS (Slugbait, mgr.)
DM 32 ARVAT (turn 468): LOCKED IN of CALL THE PRIEST (Destitute Noble, mgr.)
DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 466): TOMB SCONE of BAD BREAD (Otto X. Frothingslosh)
DM 35 MURSKA (turn 459): INANNA of LADY OF BATTLES (Poison Ivy, mgr.)
DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 422): FACE BREAKER of WIDOWMAKERS (Soultender, mgr.)
DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 214): MING of DYNASTIC (Jack Wolfspider, mgr.)
DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 209): HONEY BEAR of THE BEAR'S PAW (Kat, mgr.)
DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 196): TOM SMITH DISEASE of STRANGE TUNES (Berylstar, mgr.)
DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 347): APPLEMINT of BAD APPLES (Uncle Wolf, mgr.)
DM 61 JURINE (turn 327): FREDDIE of FAVORITE GUYS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 144): KASENKO of PERFECTION QUEST II (Mannequin, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 372): SETHRA LAVODE of CASTLE BLACK from KYR'TERR
(Shadowgate, mgr.)
Top Teams
---------
DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 488): BLUE MOON (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 12 RIZTAB (turn 486): THE CITY (Berylstar, mgr.)
DM 15 MALCORN (turn 482): TRIPLE CROWN (Sultan, mgr.)
DM 16 WILLAF (turn 482): WYLDERNESS WYLD (Barnabas, mgr.)
DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 480): HEROESANDFOUNDONES (The Judge, mgr.)
DM 19 ZUWAYZA (turn 479): THE SIERRAS (Barnabas, mgr.)
DM 28 MORYA (turn 239): IDIOTIC ICCERS (THawk, mgr.)
DM 29 LAPUR (turn 471): CROC FILES (THawk, mgr.)
DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 237): STORMWATCH (Polar Bear, mgr.)
DM 32 ARVAT (turn 468): SARATOGA GLORY (The Trainer, mgr.)
DM 33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 466): CASINO HAMMERZ (Hammer, mgr.)
DM 35 MURSKA (turn 459): STRONGHOLD (Silver Stroke, mgr.)
DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 422): THE FAMILY (Don John, mgr.)
DM 45 STORMCROWE (turn 214): P.A.C. (Coach, mgr.)
DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 209): THE BEAR'S PAW (Kat, mgr.)
DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 196): TEAM VIRTUE (Boy Scout, mgr.)
DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 347): REDHORSE (Mila, mgr.)
DM 61 JURINE (turn 327): FAVORITE GUYS (Jorja, mgr.)
DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 144): MAGIC MAYHEM (Fizban, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 372): MEOW MIX, etc. (Sylvester Frothingslosh, mgr.)
Recent Graduates
-----------------
DM 9 ZUKAL (turn 488): ALEX GRIFFIN of DREAM PARK (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.)
DM 15 MALCORN (turn 482): ABRA-HAM! of SACRILEGIOUS MEAT (Klep, mgr.)
DM 16 WILLAF (turn 481): HIMEI of YAMABUSHI (Doc Miracle, mgr.)
DM 17 ALJAFIR (turn 480): GHENGIS KHAN of HEROESANDFOUNDONES (The Judge, mgr.)
DM 28 MORYA (turn 239): POPPY HAMMER of FLOWER HAMMERZ (Hammer, mgr.)
DM 29 LAPUR (turn 471): SCRAPPA of CROC FILES (THawk, mgr.)
DM 31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 237): HUNGRY BONES of UNFIT TO BE ORCS (Slugbait, mgr.)
(turn 236): SODOM of DARQUE FORCES (Master Darque, mgr.)
PALLADICE of STORMWATCH (Polar Bear, mgr.)
DM 43 VEASTIAN (turn 422): FACE BREAKER of WIDOWMAKERS (Soultender, mgr.)
NHAVARL of THE FAMILY (Don John, mgr.)
DM 47 NORTH FORK (turn 209): SUGAR CUBE of COFFEE RULES! (Mr. Coffee, mgr.)
101 PROOF!! of COFFEE RULES! (Mr. Coffee, mgr.)
(turn 208): UR BRAIN ON EGG of MYSTIC ORC FEAST (Slugbait, mgr.)
DM 50 SNOWBOUND (turn 195): NASSE of DARK SIDHE (Daehir, mgr.)
DM 56 ROCANIS (turn 346): ELEVEN BLADE of GENERAL SURGERY (Darkfist, mgr.)
DM 73 ERINIKA (turn 144): GAI-JIN of RISING SUN (?, mgr.)
SPY REPORT
Greetings, warriors of STORMCROWE! Once again I've been called out of
retirement for my abilities and insights into Spyreporting. Woof! P.A.C. were a
bunch of dogs after MOJO P@TROL got through with 'em! 2nd ain't so sweet as 1st!
Phhbltt! Too much drinking and too little dodging gave EMETICS a 1-2-0! I got a
good laugh out of it! Ya gotta be quick on yer feet! Keep your elbow off the table!
Thrust! Block out the pain! VENDETTA INC. is now ranked 7th with a 4-1-1 turn.
MOJO P@TROL showed STORMCROWE what they were made of as they fought with a vengeance
to walk off with 4-1-0. What's with HOT LIPS? She actually beat NORTHERN LIGHTS'
SUNFLASH, and walked away with 17 more points from the fight. Laughs were big at
DARQUE FORCES while they watched MARILYN clobber NORA BATES. She lost 12 points and
got bruised from objects thrown from the stands. Har har har! Did MING wimp out, or
just get lazy? Anyway, he's not Duelmaster anymore. I'm sure STORMCROWE is excited
about ZINDELLA AZRON, the new Duelmaster from MOJO P@TROL. (remember?) But when
you've seen as many as I have... I suppose you want to hear some rumors and dirty
gossip about your fellow fighters? Tough!
Speaking of cowardly avoiders and unfair challenges... STORMCROWE thinks RESCUE
RANGERS and their 133-92-4 is too much! If at first you don't succeed, give up...
In my day, no team with a 133-92-4 would scare me off! What's the problem,
CARTELLEVISSION? How well I know the feeling of being the most challenged warrior,
JILTED JILL! Don't make idle boasts, they may come back to haunt you. DAGORA SAVON
didn't quite know what to make of a challenge she received from USURIOUS of MIKES
MORGUE, who is 19 points below her. USURIOUS perhaps got his just desserts, seeing
as he defeated DAGORA SAVON and ended up with 59 recognition points.
There have been some calls to lengthen the time limit. Do you want the fighters
to walk away, or not? UTHER looked pretty sick and surprised when he learned
PENDRAGON CYCLE is sending him to the Dark Arena! Whadd'he expect with a 12-10-2?
We all knew it had to happen sooner or later. A warrior can't stick around with a
2-7-0, and MASTER DARQUE easily took care of HIT & MYTH. BENEVOLENCE was plum wore
out after ALICE OSBORNE pounded 'im silly in a Bloodfeud. MIKES MORGUE'll have to
get a little better before going after ALICE OSBORNE again! Someone told ZEBRAS that
PENDRAGON CYCLE never Bloodfeuded, that it'd have an easy kill. Well, I'm sure
whoever misled you is right sorry. Here's some advice: study your opponent, master
many skills, fight dirty.
Many other cities have retirement homes for aged warriors. Any plans here?
STORMCROWE is a nice place to live, but I don't like to live in nice places. Time
for my medication, so I'll leave now. Practice, practice, practice!-- Olaf Modeen
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
ZINDELLA AZRON 3898 10 4 0 108 MOJO P@TROL (451)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-MING 3755 13 9 1 116 DYNASTIC (433)
SCORPIUS 3752 10 2 0 106 KNIGHT BREED (403)
MARILYN 3712 19 22 2 104 DARQUE FORCES (428)
GARGLE SPEW 3902 10 5 1 97 EMETICS (406)
TWIGS 4003 6 0 0 93 P.A.C. (462)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-CHIP 3321 15 5 0 89 RESCUE RANGERS (205)
-HAPSBURG 3754 16 6 0 86 DYNASTIC (433)
HOT LIPS 3743 15 4 0 86 DARQUE FORCES (428)
THE SMELL OF IT 3564 10 17 1 86 EMETICS (406)
SUNFLASH 3474 23 15 0 84 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
-THE BEER VENDOR 1975 16 13 1 84 AVID FANS (65)
NORA BATES 3883 9 9 0 82 MORDRED'S MADMEN (409)
BEDWYR 3835 12 9 0 78 PENDRAGON CYCLE (426)
ALICE OSBORNE 3970 7 3 0 77 MORDRED'S MADMEN (409)
MYTHING LINK 3972 7 2 0 75 MYTH TAKES (458)
SHARLA MANSON 3936 9 4 0 74 MORDRED'S MADMEN (409)
MOTHER 3741 12 7 1 73 DARQUE FORCES (428)
-PLANTAGENET 3756 15 7 0 68 DYNASTIC (433)
CONVULSIVE HURL 3563 5 21 0 68 EMETICS (406)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SHARD 3507 10 18 1 66 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
-BALOO 3255 12 10 0 65 RESCUE RANGERS (205)
-32ND PTOLEMAIC 3940 7 4 0 59 DYNASTIC (433)
USURIOUS 3989 7 2 0 59 MIKES MORGUE (460)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-THE STATISTICIAN 2309 12 13 0 53 AVID FANS (65)
DAGORA SAVON 3896 8 6 1 50 MOJO P@TROL (451)
STORM SERPENT 2416 11 7 0 49 SUPERIOR FORCES (310)
MYTH OLOGY 3975 5 4 0 48 MYTH TAKES (458)
BOMBSHELL 3914 7 5 1 44 DARQUE FORCES (428)
GOAT 4012 4 0 0 43 VENDETTA INC. (463)
-THE JANITOR 2545 6 7 0 41 AVID FANS (65)
-RAYNOR 3549 7 5 0 40 KNIGHT BREED (403)
-KERRIGAN 3545 7 5 0 39 KNIGHT BREED (403)
SCOURGE 3987 6 1 0 39 MIKES MORGUE (460)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
TEARSA 3954 5 4 1 36 MOJO P@TROL (451)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
VOR'EIV TAVERS 3916 7 6 0 33 MOJO P@TROL (451)
-A TALENT SCOUT 3950 4 2 0 33 AVID FANS (65)
-COLOUR COMMENTATOR 3951 4 2 0 33 AVID FANS (65)
-NIMNOLE 3439 2 5 0 33 RESCUE RANGERS (205)
BENEVOLENCE 3986 6 3 1 32 MIKES MORGUE (460)
CHUCKY MOHAWK II 4001 6 2 0 31 MIKES MORGUE (460)
CONCERTINA 3965 5 5 0 29 A DEAL'S DEAL (457)
DOOR # 3 3966 3 7 1 26 A DEAL'S DEAL (457)
C.F.H. 4009 2 2 0 25 VENDETTA INC. (463)
GALAHAD 4002 5 3 0 24 PENDRAGON CYCLE (426)
NEAR MYTH 3973 4 5 1 24 MYTH TAKES (458)
DEATH FOG 4017 4 2 0 24 SUPERIOR FORCES (310)
-GOLDEN ACES 4006 4 0 0 24 P.A.C. (462)
JILTED JILL 4013 3 4 0 24 A DEAL'S DEAL (457)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
ZEBRAS 4007 2 4 1 23 P.A.C. (462)
PYROTECHNICS 4018 6 0 0 22 SUPERIOR FORCES (310)
SWINGANDAMYTH 3971 4 5 0 21 MYTH TAKES (458)
-BAMBI 3462 3 2 1 21 RESCUE RANGERS (205)
KICKAPOOS 4039 3 0 0 21 P.A.C. (462)
VIKINGS 4004 4 2 0 20 P.A.C. (462)
-TOKUNGAWA 4043 2 0 0 20 DYNASTIC (433)
MASTER DARQUE 4008 2 2 1 19 VENDETTA INC. (463)
KANGA RUTH 4060 2 0 1 19 CARTELLEVISSION (468)
ARTHUR 3982 4 6 0 18 PENDRAGON CYCLE (426)
FIRE HAWK 4011 1 3 0 16 VENDETTA INC. (463)
INFLATABLE INGA 4062 1 1 0 14 CARTELLEVISSION (468)
WALRUS 3995 2 7 0 13 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
BO BEACHED WHALE 4059 1 1 0 12 CARTELLEVISSION (468)
TESS BUNDY 4038 2 2 1 11 MORDRED'S MADMEN (409)
KAY 4063 1 0 0 11 PENDRAGON CYCLE (426)
FRANCINE KRUGER 4015 2 4 0 10 MORDRED'S MADMEN (409)
KOTHAS JAPFIN 4031 1 3 0 10 MOJO P@TROL (451)
FROSTBITE 4014 0 7 0 10 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
FROSTEEL 4045 1 2 0 5 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
-THUMPER 3480 1 2 0 5 RESCUE RANGERS (205)
COMMODE CANDY 4061 1 1 0 4 CARTELLEVISSION (468)
OHMIGOD!!! 4046 0 2 0 2 MIKES MORGUE (460)
MICROCHIPMONK 4058 0 2 0 2 CARTELLEVISSION (468)
ADDLED ADELE 4065 0 1 0 1 A DEAL'S DEAL (457)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
POSTHUMOUS PETE 4024 3 3 0 A DEAL'S DEAL 457 WURM KIN 27 215 NONE
MONKEY POO 4064 0 1 0 DARQUE FORCES 428 ARENAMASTER NHOR 23 215 NONE
SPASM 4026 0 2 0 DARQUE FORCES 428 TESS BUNDY 4038 213
ROMANOV 3753 10 9 2 DYNASTIC 433 GARGLE SPEW 3902 212 REVENGED
DEAD 3939 0 1 0 KNIGHT BREED 403 MOUNTAIN TROLL 18 215 NONE
DEAD2 3945 0 1 0 KNIGHT BREED 403 STONE GOLEM 26 215 NONE
JANE FAUST 3992 3 2 1 MORDRED'S MADMEN 409 BENEVOLENCE 3986 211 JUST REV
HIT & MYTH 3974 2 7 0 MYTH TAKES 458 MASTER DARQUE 4008 215
UTHER 3691 12 11 2 PENDRAGON CYCLE 426 ARENAMASTER NHOR 23 215 NONE
LANCELOT 3994 2 6 0 PENDRAGON CYCLE 426 ZEBRAS 4007 214 JUST REV
CANTBELIEVEIT 4030 1 2 0 SUPERIOR FORCES 310 TEARSA 3954 213
ABRAXIS 4010 1 3 0 VENDETTA INC. 463 ARENAMASTER NHOR 23 215 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
Zindella Azron -- Nice defense rating there. I can't win if I can't hit you. --
Mother
Abraxis -- It happens, no biggie. Will blood feud next turn (#216). Guard the legs
and train skills (seriously--won't be trying to kill you and will boost your skills a
bit from the experience). -- Master Darque
Dad -- Welcome! -- Master Darque
Twigs -- That was s surprise challenge. Will know who to avoid in the future.
Excellent win though. -- Hot Lips
Coach -- Keep writing the spotlights. I enjoy reading them. -- Master Darque
Door Number 3 -- Well, now that was an enjoyable experience for you I am sure, even
with the loss. Nice learns you got there. I was style searching, so that is the
reason for my challenge. -- Bombshell
Fizban -- What good are DM friends if they don't throw you a beating every now and
then. -- Master Darque
P.S. I sure got one last turn.
Ming -- Now that was an epic battle! If I get in range again, I will try for the
throne once more. Until then, I salute the Duelmaster. -- Marilyn
Frosteel -- I was lucky, lucky, lucky. Even the little Indians produced. Woo Woo.
-- Kickapoos!
Pendragon -- Death was not intentional. May the big PL, Lancelot, rest in peace. --
Zebras
Darque Forces -- Who would have thought that?! Life is good! -- Twigs
Hot Lips -- Twigs ran sweeps and options and sneaks and reverses and with basic
blocking and tackling overcame a mightier foe. I am proud of them. -- Coach of
P.A.C.
Hit & Myth -- I did more of the former. -- Vikings
All -- Being mixed out is heavenly. Bring on the tournament. -- Golden Aces
Slaughterhouse Report -- Uh, we scored points? How did we do that? Apparently entry
is automatic? How does one score in this league? Are there rules? -- Coach of
P.A.C.
Chucky Mohawk II -- Stolen? How awful! We'll help you discipline the culprit if you
find him/her! -- Twigs
A dejected Lancelot -- I guess Zebras did the "do something nobody else does against
me" before I got the chance? Pendragon's, I hope your new recruit is an Ace! --
Golden Aces
Single-wings, short-punts, split-Ts, Spreads...Life is good. -- Coach of P.A.C.
My fellow Stormcronies -- I am The Jimbo! I've come to your fair city to open the
second branch of The CHOIR (the Cartel House Of Ill Repute)--Alastari's greatest
combination tavern-brothel! We give you--The CHOIR of Stormcrowe. On the way here,
I picked up a band of traveling entertainers, who had been enslaved by the evil
clown, Wacky T. Backy! I freed them and they agreed to work for me both as
entertainers and in the arena, thus the comedy-gladiator group CARTELLEVISSION was
born! (Seen nightly in the CARTELLEVISSION Room of the CHOIR.) These guys are
foundlings, so my goal is to keep them over .500. (Literally, I found the RU sheet!)
I've managed on and off since the game and I were both young! I am one of the
founding members of the Vendetta Cartel! Well, enough introductions let's start
beating on each other! And I hope you'll stop by the CHOIR--your one stop for ALL
Your Vice Needs! -- The Jimbo
Embezzling Scribe -- You missed your calling--you should have been a teacher!! --
Kanga Ruth
Persistent Beggar -- Once and for all, I don't carry spare change in my armor!! --
Inflatable Inga
Mordant Deserter -- Where's my desert, you liar!! -- Commode Candy
Thumper -- That really Bytes!!! I calculate that we'll have to try that again in
about five turns! -- Microchipmonk
Pyrotechnics -- One of us is in violation of proof in packaging laws--and it isn't
me!! -- Bo Beached Whale
Coach -- Always a pleasure ta meet a fellow fan a da "English" language. New
conjugations are my specialty. -- Applejack
Bombshell, and the mob -- C'mon and get it, boys -- #3 (Miss Popular)
P.S. ...uh, you girls are welcome to get it too.
Chucky Mohawk II -- Was that a bit of a ghostly "breakout" action, or what?
OOOOoooo.... -- Jill
Tearsa -- My welcome's 'bout done-worn -- Posthumous Pete, basher 16(+1)-16(+1)-10-5-
18(+1)-9-13
Arthur -- A staggerer...not even even. -- Concertina
All -- Too much drinking and not enough training. I'll be back, 11-10-11-13-17-11-
11, I learned 1 Init, 1 Att in 3 fights, and closed my eyes when I fought Jilted Jill
and lost. May the torches burn bright. -- VI Abraxis
Chucky Mohawk II -- Real boring on your part; nice hair cut enjoyed that. -- Seig
Heil
Viking -- How is your left buttock? Sorry about that shot. I was going for your
left leg. -- VI Goat
Jorja -- You have enlightened me a bunch. ST 9, CN 12, WL 15, 330 End, No statement.
I fight in North Fork -- "The Jesuits," Chimlevtal Coup D Tat, Stormcrowe --
"Vendetta Inc", Talcama -- "The Shadows", Home Guard -- "Peacemakers" in which I
haven't fought in about 5 months. Thank you. -- Goat
Blowmad Nomad -- Don't know you, don't need to know you, so save your comments for
your gerbil, lame! -- Billy Goat Gruff
Coach -- Tell City -- Cannelton fights, a good cheerleader. Voyeurism Tale. Sounds
good to me! -- Goat
Kickapoos -- Oog. Pass me the joy juice. -- Frosteel
Kothas Japfin -- Never underestimate a... Walrus
P.S. Perhaps I should speak to you of cabbages and kings, eh?
Somebody should draw the Venomous Concubine's fangs. I tried knocking 'em out, but
she was too quick for me. -- Sunflash
Benevolence -- Not a survival trait in the arena, by what I've seen. -- Shard
Near Myth -- Ouch! You mythed a little too nearly for my comfort. -- Frostbite
Galahad -- Not only that, we're probably ENDANGERED Arctic beasts. -- Walrus
Ed. -- This is true, although I did have some very good coleslaw today. -- Walrus
Good coleslaw? There's no such thing. -- Ed. who has strong opinions about some
foods (or non-foods)
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
UTHER was butchered by ARENAMASTER NHOR in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight.
POSTHUMOUS PETE was slaughtered by WURM KIN in a 1 minute Dark Arena battle.
ABRAXIS was assassinated by ARENAMASTER NHOR in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena duel.
DEAD was dealt death by MOUNTAIN TROLL in a popular 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
MONKEY POO was murdered by ARENAMASTER NHOR in a 1 minute Dark Arena competition.
DEAD2 was barely slain by STONE GOLEM in a 2 minute Dark Arena duel.
BEDWYR overpowered ZEBRAS in a 1 minute one-sided Bloodfeud struggle.
ALICE OSBORNE devastated BENEVOLENCE in a 1 minute one-sided Bloodfeud competition.
HOT LIPS unbelievably bested SUNFLASH in a 4 minute expert's Challenge melee.
MARILYN vanquished NORA BATES in a action packed 1 minute uneven Challenge fight.
MYTHING LINK overpowered CONVULSIVE HURL in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge fight.
USURIOUS outwaited DAGORA SAVON in a popular 9 minute Challenge bout.
CONCERTINA was subdued by BOMBSHELL in a 2 minute bloody Challenge match.
DOOR # 3 was overcome by SCOURGE in a 6 minute Challenge contest.
NEAR MYTH was savagely defeated by CHUCKY MOHAWK II in a 4 minute Challenge match.
GOAT handily defeated JILTED JILL in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge conflict.
KOTHAS JAPFIN won victory over FROSTEEL in a 4 minute amateur's Challenge bout.
COMMODE CANDY was viciously subdued by SWINGANDAMYTH in a 6 minute Challenge fray.
FIRE HAWK slimly won victory over FRANCINE KRUGER in a 2 minute Challenge brawl.
OHMIGOD!!! was overpowered by BO BEACHED WHALE in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge bout.
TESS BUNDY was beaten by GALAHAD in a exciting 1 minute Challenge bout.
MASTER DARQUE slew HIT & MYTH in a 2 minute bloody Challenge conflict.
KICKAPOOS unbelievably bested INFLATABLE INGA in a 6 minute novice's Challenge bout.
ZINDELLA AZRON overpowered MOTHER in a 1 minute uneven Title fray.
SCORPIUS handily defeated THE SMELL OF IT in a 1 minute one-sided contest.
SHARLA MANSON was demolished by GARGLE SPEW in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
TWIGS won victory over KHALHUMS DWARF in a popular 1 minute match.
STORM SERPENT was viciously subdued by SHARD in a exciting 3 minute veteran's fight.
DEATH FOG was overpowered by MYTH OLOGY in a 1 minute uneven duel.
VOR'EIV TAVERS savagely defeated WALRUS in a tiresome 6 minute bloody fray.
TEARSA vanquished VIKINGS in a popular 1 minute one-sided bout.
ARTHUR lost to C.F.H. in a 2 minute fray.
FROSTBITE was luckily beaten by PYROTECHNICS in a exciting 6 minute gory match.
MICROCHIPMONK was overpowered by KAY in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
KANGA RUTH savagely defeated ADDLED ADELE in a 2 minute bloody novice's fray.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|TOTAL PARRY 11 LUNGING ATTACK 83 - 47 - 2 64 |
|BASHING ATTACK 11 TOTAL PARRY 64 - 37 - 0 63 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 10 STRIKING ATTACK 49 - 44 - 4 53 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 9 SLASHING ATTACK 30 - 32 - 2 48 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 5 AIMED BLOW 20 - 23 - 0 47 |
|AIMED BLOW 5 PARRY-STRIKE 15 - 24 - 1 38 |
|WALL OF STEEL 4 WALL OF STEEL 16 - 27 - 1 37 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 3 PARRY-RIPOSTE 13 - 24 - 1 35 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 3 PARRY-LUNGE 9 - 20 - 1 31 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 2 BASHING ATTACK 20 - 48 - 3 29 |
Turn 215 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 8 - 3 STRIKING ATTACK 4 - 5 4 LUNGING ATTACK
PARRY-STRIKE 2 - 1 PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 2 2 PARRY-LUNGE
SLASHING ATTACK 3 - 2 BASHING ATTACK 3 - 8 2 TOTAL PARRY
PARRY-LUNGE 1 - 1 WALL OF STEEL 1 - 3 1 AIMED BLOW
LUNGING ATTACK 5 - 5 AIMED BLOW 1 - 4 1 STRIKING ATTACK
1 SLASHING ATTACK
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
LUNGING ATTACK ZINDELLA AZRON 3898 10 4 0 108 MOJO P@TROL (451)
AIMED BLOW SCORPIUS 3752 10 2 0 106 KNIGHT BREED (403)
STRIKING ATTACK GARGLE SPEW 3902 10 5 1 97 EMETICS (406)
TOTAL PARRY HOT LIPS 3743 15 4 0 86 DARQUE FORCES (428)
PARRY-LUNGE SUNFLASH 3474 23 15 0 84 NORTHERN LIGHTS (393)
PARRY-STRIKE BOMBSHELL 3914 7 5 1 44 DARQUE FORCES (428)
BASHING ATTACK TEARSA 3954 5 4 1 36 MOJO P@TROL (451)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is SUNFLASH 3474. The most popular warrior this turn
was DAGORA SAVON 3896. The ten other most popular fighters were SUNFLASH 3474,
INFLATABLE INGA 4062, SHARD 3507, FROSTBITE 4014, NEAR MYTH 3973, DEAD2 3945,
FROSTEEL 4045, SWINGANDAMYTH 3971, TWIGS 4003, and ARTHUR 3982.
The least popular fighter this week was WALRUS 3995. The other ten least popular
fighters were COMMODE CANDY 4061, SCOURGE 3987, ADDLED ADELE 4065, MICROCHIPMONK
4058, PYROTECHNICS 4018, VOR'EIV TAVERS 3916, DEATH FOG 4017, STORM SERPENT 2416,
SHARLA MANSON 3936, and THE SMELL OF IT 3564.
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