DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 10/23/2006    Duedate: 11/04/2006

ARDIVENT ARENA

DM-46    TURN-486

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

DR STEINBURGER
FANDILS (75)
(46-3442) [21-7-0,93]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

MARY CATHERINE                 POSITION IS EMPTY
FANDILS (75)                   
(46-3459) [11-5-2,94]          

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

BECKER COLLIN                  ANNETTE TEVERLY
BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)        TUFT-TASTIC! (265)
(46-3850) [14-31-1,78]         (46-3651) [6-3-1,54]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)     39
2. INFERNAL LORDS (8)          33      CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
3. ALAN'S BOZLEEYOTCHS (318)   16      Unchartered Team
4. FANDILS (75)                10
5. DEATH (349)                  0       (129)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)  253 142 14 64.1   1/ 1 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)   7  2 0
 2/ 2 TUFT-TASTIC! (265)        99  66  2 60.0   2/ 6 INFERNAL LORDS (8)        6  2 0
 3/ 3 FANDILS (75)             803 614 26 56.7   3/ 2 TUFT-TASTIC! (265)        6  4 0
 4/ 4 INFERNAL LORDS (8)       185 156 10 54.3   4/ 4 FANDILS (75)              6  7 0
 5- 5 DEATH (349)               28  37  2 43.1   5/ 5 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)   5 10 1
 6/ 6 BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)  386 609 13 38.8   6- 3 DEATH (349)               4  6 0
 7/ 7 ALAN'S BOZLEEYOTCH (318)   6  10  0 37.5   7/ 7 ALAN'S BOZLEEYOTCH (318)  2  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

           + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ Cities by the Shore ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Somewhere:

     The Lord Protector Eclipse stood on a cliff and looked down into a canyon.  If 
there was a bottom, he couldn't see it.  The glowing footprints he'd been following 
brightened and dimmed repeatedly, beckoning.  He and Lady Protector Stepharoo had 
been following them, until the trail split and footprints went both ways.  There had 
seemed no acceptable alternative.
     What if they'd been wrong about that?
     Why were they getting mixed up in the internal politics of the Tarot Mime 
universe?  Yes, okay, the Tarot Mimes had sent the Dark Tower to interfere with 
shipping.  At least, they--he and Stepharoo--had thought that's what the Tower was 
supposed to do.  But they'd only thought it because that was the actual effect.  What 
if it wasn't intentional?  Or if the interference was simply the bait to get a couple 
of gladiators to come and solve problems here?
     *At last you ask the right question!*  The air in front of him shimmered and 
took the shape of a man in a ruler's regalia:  crown, rich cloak, scepter, the whole 
works.  *It is all a snare to divert your attention and energies from problems in 
your own world.*
     "Why should you--all your people or any of them--care?" Eclipse demanded.
     The crowned figure shrugged.  *The Reversed Magician arranged it.  We believe 
that he was bribed to do so by someone in your world.  And it furthered his own ends 
of causing disruption here.*  There was a pause, long enough for a human heart to 
beat four times.  *Your presence here is disruptive to the proper functioning of our 
world.*
     "Meaning you want me and Steph to leave?"  Eclipse glanced behind himself at the 
dark landscape.  "That might not be easy to do."
     *It can be arranged.  The Upright Magician has the spell in hand, requiring only 
your consent.*
     "This is a spell to return us to our own world?"
     *Yes.*
     "Where in our own world?"
     *I do not know the name of the place, only that it will be...where you are 
needed.  Will you agree?*
     "What about Stepharoo?  Ah..." what had they called her here?  "Ah, the Ace of 
Lamps.  We split up to--"
     *To make it possible for us to contact you.  Together, your force was too strong 
to penetrate.  If you agree, she will be transported also.*
     "To our own world, to the place where we're needed."
     *Yes.*
     "Okay.  Do it."

Krael:

     Krael was a mess, which was not surprising in a ruined city that had spent four 
hundred years under the waters and the silt of the Trier.  No building was intact, 
and the streets and semi-enclosed spaces were full of stinking mud.
     Most of the buildings and streets were full of mud.  Here and there, buildings 
had been cleared, and walkways scraped clean down some of the main streets.  Fandil, 
Adie, and Cho had emerged from a magical Gate in the lower part of the city, near the 
water's edge, which was marked by a massive wall of new construction.  They had 
fought one battle with a Kraelian mage commanding a squad of golems, and won.  But 
they had to assume that the magic used must have alerted someone in the city.  The 
water edge of the city was nearer, but only the landward edge, where it rose to 
become the peninsula of Point, offered a likely chance of escape.
     They moved inland, upslope, forced to detour by blocked roads and parties of 
golem-ized Aruaki, fighting when they had to.  Progress was slow, but finally they 
could see the clean hills around Point rising behind one of the more impressive 
ruined buildings.  They would have to pass that building, a temple, it might be, and 
then they'd have a clear course to the true shore.
     Neither the temple nor the open circular plaza in front of it was large, but 
they were surprisingly difficult to get around.  The immediate vicinity had suffered 
more damage than any other area they'd passed through.
     "The original cataclysm?" Adie wondered, trying to get a secure foothold on a 
tilting, mud-sheathed slab of pavement.  "Or some later disaster?"
     "More than one disaster," Fandil guessed.  "This area has been smashed 
repeatedly."  He edged around a pile of stones that might once have been a buttress 
for a small palace, taking care not to dislodge any of the precariously balanced 
blocks.  There were waterlogged timbers mixed into the tottering heap, and...bones.  
Very large bones, human in shape but bigger than any human or even Shew might have 
produced.  Old, very old bones, not a current problem.  He moved past, careful not to 
touch the bones even with the edge of his robe, not even with his shadow.  The whole 
area was seething with abnormal magical energies, and who could tell what might set 
off some spell?
     Cho paused where a gap between two walls gave a clear view of the temple.  "That 
is...odd."
     Adie came up beside him and looked.  He was correct.  It was odd.  The plaza was 
being cleared, and some of the temple--the main floor--but she could see the battered 
cult statue at the back, and it was being ignored.  She couldn't tell what god had 
been worshipped here; none that she recognized.  "The temple is more important as a 
place of sacrifice and gathering power," she guessed, "than it is as a place to 
channel power to a specific deity."
     "The power they will generate here with their sacrifices will be channeled to 
Khaldren," Cho said.
     "This whole city rising is all about more power for Khaldren," Fandil agreed.  
"The man's not sane."
     "He may not be sane, technically--however you define sane--but his mind works 
just fine," Adie said.  "He expects clearing parts of Krael to benefit him in a big 
way."
     "Power and control of power," Cho said.  "That's all that seems to interest him.  
There is no suggestion I've heard that he is even searching for information, 
knowledge.  He figures he knows...everything worth knowing."
     "He's wrong," Fandil said.
     "Yes..." Adie frowned at the workers in the plaza.  "Not just ANY power, though, 
he wants the power to control PEOPLE.  To manipulate and destroy people."
     "Politician," Cho muttered under his breath."
     "Politics takes too long," Adie said after a moment.  "He's waited all those 
years since the destruction of Krael--"
     "--Which he probably had a lot to do with in the first place," Fandil inserted.
     "Probably."  Adie waved that away.  "And now he doesn't want to wait any longer.  
So, no politics, or at least not as a primary interest.  There are plenty of 
politicians he can corrupt when he turns his attention to it, especially if he has a 
really strong base here in the Aruaki Clanhold."
     "And somehow, what he's doing here in Krael will feed that base," Fandil said.
     "Easier to stop him piecemeal at the roots of his power than wait till he's got 
the whole tower up," Adie said.  She looked at her two companions.  She was a 
priestess of the sun as well as a magician.  Fandil was a magician from a somewhat 
different discipline than hers.  Cho...was an oddity.  He, too, had learned his art 
in another universe, one which was like and unlike this one, and his magical 
abilities were just a little different from either of hers or Fandil's.  "We have 
three different kinds of experience and power," she said.  "If we can figure out how 
to use that, we can bring Khaldren down."
     Fandil squinted up the slope past the temple.  "There's good beer in Point," he 
murmured, "and I would really like to sit down with a good beer to think.  But first 
we have to get there."
     "Yes."  Adie looked down at her feet.  She had long since hitched up her skirts 
to her knees to keep them from accumulating pounds of mud.  But she might as well be 
wearing leggings of mud now, and if her shoes were still on her feet, she couldn't 
tell it by looking.  And walking under these conditions was exhausting.  Still, the 
dry land was in sight.  Hold that thought.  She squared her shoulders, glanced 
skyward, gathered a handful of sunlight, and said, "Let's do it."
     Fandil hefted his staff, checking to make sure it was free of mud.  "We'll have 
to go right through that plaza," he said.  "Even if a way around exists, it would 
take too long to find it."  He glanced at his companions.
     Both nodded.
     "Right through," Cho agreed.  He slung his own staff across his back by a 
carrying strap and drew his sword.  If it came to a fight, it was always good to have 
an armed Adantri on your side.
     There was a surge of power in the plaza ahead of them, and a shimmer, and...an 
armed man where none had been before.  Cloaked in shadows, haloed in light, and ready 
for trouble.
     Fandil gasped.  "That's the warrior Eclipse from Ardivent!"

Off the south shore of Iaye:

     The ferry shuddered as though it had hit some uncharted mudbar, then slid 
forward into a small patch of glowing fog, and out again.  But a core of the shining 
mist remained on the deck, in front of the three Lords Protector.
     Senator Sedalia raised his walking stick in one hand, the other hand coming 
around to grasp the shaft.  If he needed to unsheathe that deadly blade, there would 
be no delay.  He could hear Gissanniah drawing her sword, a more conventional weapon.  
Old Doc Circ...what was the old quack doing?
     "There has been a Gate of a sort," the alchemist said.  "Wait for it to finish 
transmission."
     The mist pulsed and then contracted into the figure of a woman in amber-colored 
armor.  She stared at them in surprise and confusion.  "What's going on?" Lady 
Protector Stepharoo demanded.

                                 DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
                             Notes from the arena champ.

     I came.  I saw.  I conquered.  That's me, your Duelmaster Dentist.  The bridge
to the throne.
     I CAME to the arena and they gave me this matchup with Lori Collin.  I SAW her
and was pleased with the visuals, and was glad to get a chance to work out with her.
She spent all my money and took me to the cleaners.  (Think about it.)  I CONQUERED
the DM throne, albeit by attrition.  So?
     It is mine.  And your teeth will be too.
          Dr Steinberger

                                      SPY REPORT

     Greetings warriors!  It is I, Zontani Sharp Eyes, here to bring report of the 
clash and bustle of the weekly ARDIVENT games.  Warriors--remember that glory waits 
always around the corner!  Witness how this week INFERNAL LORDS went 3-0-0 to move up 
4 in the rankings.  In one of the week's more notable duels, RYTHYM WIZARD put down 
JUANITA, causing her to lose 15 points of recognition in the process.  Not for 
nothing has DR STEINBURGER in the past laid claim to the Duelmaster's throne, and 
this week he's proven his combat skill yet again.  Heed this!  A seer has warned that 
if exactly 6 die in duels this week, the whole city shall perish!  Just remember...5 
or 7!   
     But come now, let us look deeper into the maze of contention and crossed blades 
that is city ARDIVENT.  ARDIVENT, city of gladiators!  Mighty among the names of thy 
guilds is INFERNAL LORDS, a guild shunned and avoided by many in the weekly duels.  
Apparently the stalwarts of FANDILS are catching the bulk of jests down at the 
challenging board for their large share of the avoids.  Mighty fighters cannot but 
expect competition from those below.  ZELLIT take warning!  You have more than a few 
enemies in ARDIVENT.  A match that raised a few eyebrows at the games this week, it 
seems that EARL posted a challenge against the more highly recognized ZELLIT.  The 
results, you ask?  Well, the firebrand EARL bested ZELLIT.  Remember warriors, this 
is the discipline of steel.   
     Vendettas.  Bloodied blades and broken spears.  Indeed the city has seen more 
than its fair share of red in recent times.  Dark alleys may hide both secrets and 
assassins.  In the arena there is only the brightness of steel.  Keep vigil always!   
     If it were not for my skills as a spy I would have been mugged three times 
already in ARDIVENT.  Nice atmosphere you have here!  Sadly warriors, now longer can 
I keep thy company nor savor the ale of thy fine city.  Depart I must and soon!  Till 
we meet again, remember:  a turtle walks slow, hides head in a shell, and harms no 
one; a lion runs to slay its prey.-- Zontani Sharp Eyes  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 DR STEINBURGER 3442          21   7  0    93       FANDILS (75)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MARY CATHERINE 3459          11   5  2    94       FANDILS (75)
 SPARROW-BLASTER 3900          9   4  2    91       CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-AZGUD 3253                   13  13  0    89       INFERNAL LORDS (8)
-TEMPTATION 3314               9   5  0    89       INFERNAL LORDS (8)
 BECKER COLLIN 3850           14  31  1    78       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)
-TERRENCE WYCLIFF 3433         8   2  0    73       TUFT-TASTIC! (265)
 JHEZRA STEELBLADE 3017       10   8  0    69       TUFT-TASTIC! (265)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 GALOOT 3907                  11   1  0    64       CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
 GLAVER 3915                   8   3  0    63       CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
 QUAR-RAL 3898                10   1  0    61       CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
 DAVY PRIVETTE 3447           15   2  0    57       FANDILS (75)
-LOTHAR LIGHTSWORD 3650        5   4  0    57       TUFT-TASTIC! (265)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 ANNETTE TEVERLY 3651          6   3  1    54       TUFT-TASTIC! (265)
 RYTHYM WIZARD 3357            8   6  0    51       INFERNAL LORDS (8)
-THORN 3904                    8   5  0    51       DEATH (349)
 SHTEFFI GRAAF 3388            6   3  0    45       ALAN'S BOZLEEYOTCHS (318)
-HELLSPAWN 3903                5   8  1    44       DEATH (349)
 EUROQ 3901                    6   5  0    42       INFERNAL LORDS (8)
-IRONWOLF 274                  5   1  0    42       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
-QUIETUS 3913                  5   6  0    40       DEATH (349)
-TUVOLD 3946                   4   0  0    38       TUFT-TASTIC! (265)
 DEBRA CONKLIN 3890            6  17  0    35       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-DREAD 3902                    5   8  1    33       DEATH (349)
 JUANITA 3926                  6   4  0    29       FANDILS (75)
 JACINTHE 3892                 4  17  0    29       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)
 EARL 3951                     2   1  0    25       FANDILS (75)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BROQUS 3947                   3   1  0    22       INFERNAL LORDS (8)
-UG 271                        4   2  1    19       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
-KROKUS 272                    4   2  0    19       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
-TARAMON 270                   3   3  0    18       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
-VLDL 3943                     2   4  0    17       DEATH (349)
-WEASEL 273                    4   2  0    15       BARBARIAN HORDE (47)
 ZELLIT 3948                   3   2  1    12       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)
 PELLOZOEN 3961                0   1  0     1       BLUVALLEY WARRIORS (74)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
BALL GIRL 1 3960       0  1 0 ALAN'S BOZLEEYOTC 318 BANDIT PRINCE 25      486 NONE    

                                     PERSONAL ADS

DeGotti -- What a nice thing to say.  Thanks.  The Red Sands, like them or not, are
home. -- Fandil The Wise

How could anyone in their right mind send Sharpova to the D.A.? -- WOF (still a sharp
eye at his old age)

Brogue -- What a revolting infernal development that was!  Shucks! -- Earl

Debra Conklin -- I needed that win to hit the charts. -- Juanita

Ambitious Guard?  Sure.  Send him in.  I'll take an easy win any way I can get it. --
Davy Privette

Lori Collin -- Next time I give you the "gas".  That novocaine did not do the trick.
You were too hot to handle! -- Dr Steinsberger

Seems I fell down on the job with ads last turn, so here goes.... -- Adie

Dr. Steinburger -- Duelmaster!  Congratulations. -- Adie

Dr. Steinburger -- HA!  Too bad you had to wait for Break Point to leave before you
could get there! -- Jhezra

Jhezra -- Now that was not very nice. -- Adie

Hey, he keeps bad-mouthing everyone, just a bit of tit-for-tat. -- Jhezra

Juanita -- I had to get some for the team.  We haven't collected many Fandil tufts
yet since Adie restarted here. -- Annette

This Consortium practice of sitting out warriors now and then works!  We went 3-0!
And the same in Aruak too!  Maybe I'll start doing it regularly! -- Adie, very happy

Becker Collin -- You could have hit me first, but you fumbled.  Too late, but good
try. -- Jhezra
P.S.  And what was that lame tirade you had for me in the last ads?  <rolls eyes>

Shteffi Graaf -- Sounds like a Nuln name to me. -- Lothar

Dread -- You just don't have any luck with me, do you? -- Annette

Broqus -- Thank you, I try. -- Tuvold

Jacinthe -- Big talk?  I am big! -- Lothar

Looks like we will finally get some turn over up there at the top with the recent
graduates.  Good luck to our newest batch of LP's. -- DeGotti

WoF -- Dwayne the Dog huh?  I think I know who you are referring to. -- DeGotti

Zellit -- Of course Golems drink.  They generally enjoy rum drinks with fruity
flavors. -- DeGotti

Juanita -- Oh, that fan!  Screaming at me to, you know "DO it."  You do NOT want to
know what he said afterward.  Ha, a fan?  As if!  All HE cares about is his money!
Somebody should tell him that betting on ANYTHING isn't, like, good sense, you know?
-- Debra Conklin

Dr Steinburger -- Bad man!  Much too impetuous.  You have to work up to these things
gradually.  Some flowers, maybe, a walk in the park, then a dinner, gradually!  Spend
weeks at it, softening me up.  THEN you can think of putting your hand...well, not
THERE, but somewhere. -- Lori Collin

Jhezra Steelblade -- Well, at least it wasn't a blade of mist, or grass, or some
other improbable substance.  That makes it more painful, perhaps, while it's going
on, but not so embarrassing afterward. -- Becker Collin

Vldl -- You elves are WEIRD.  What have you got against vowels?  Come to think of it,
aren't elves really FOND of vowels?  In which case...how DARE you pass yourself off
as an elf, when you're no such thing! -- Jacinthe

Hey, I didn't mean to KILL that Shiftyeyed Volunteer, it just happened.  But you
can't think he's any great loss.  I mean, he was so shifty!  Not a man who could be
trusted, I'm sure. -- Zellit

Ed. -- A dwarf doesn't have a beard because it's fun or easy.  He (or she) has a
beard because it's what a dwarf DOES. -- Kurli Kegbiter, Dwarf of Khalhums

     And have dwarves no choice in the matter?  What if a dwarf doesn't WANT a beard?
     -- Ed.

25 September 2006
It is obvious that the Dark Knights wish to be shown the light.  Allow me to step
forward and blind them with truth.  YOU ARE WORTHLESS!!!  The Dark Knights are so
afraid of the light that they hide behind their black armor and empty threats.  It is
too bad they are unwilling to actually FIGHT us!  I guess our natural light is too
bright for you all to face!  Fear us, for we are here! -- Gemini Goldphoenix,
Overlord of the Avengers of Light!

5 October 2006
*Turf War IV Rules*

     Everyone may participate; known alliances, new alliances, or temporary alliances
created to compete in the Turf War! However, to participate, each alliance must:
     A.  Announce the alliance and the Captain of the alliance in the North Fork (DM
         47) newsletter.
Captains are responsible for:
     a.  verifying those who wish to participate under the banner of their alliance;
     b.  distribution of prizes should their alliance win the Turf War.
Managers must:
     a.  Submit one (1) RSI Roll-Up Gift Certificate to participate to:
          Baphomet, mgr. Knights Templar (568), DM 47 -- North Fork, or
          Rick Stringer
          13 St. Michael's CT
          Elkton, MD 21921
     b.  Announce their intent to compete with manager name, team name and alliance
         they will be fighting under in the North Fork (DM 47) newsletter.
Rules:
     1.  No scoring will begin until a Gift Cert is received.  No exceptions.
     2.  Before a manager can compete, he/she must declare and be verified by the
         Captain of the alliance he/she has claimed for;
     3.  Only one (1) team per player may compete.  NO multiple aliases please.
         Violations will result in disqualification.
     4.  The contest will begin on the turn following the January F2F and run for 12
         turns.
     5.  The turn  a declaration and verification will begin the scoring process.
     6.  No declarations or verifications will be accepted after Turn 10 of the Turf
         War 5.
     7.  For the purpose of scoring, I reserve the right to make all final decisions.
Scoring:
                  Win     Loss     Kill     Die
Challenge          +2      -2       +5       -5
Match-Up           +1      -1       +1       -5
Bloodfeud          +2      -5       +5      -10
Champion           x2      x2       x2       x2
Downchallenge     -10      xx      -10       xx
Dark Arena        +10      -5       xx       xx
Special Scoring:
     a.  Each mention in the Spy Report is worth 2 points (team mentions only!)
     b.  Each Style Master is worth 2 points.
     c.  Duelmaster Throne is worth 2 points
Champions:
     a.  Champions may be declared, but are not mandatory.  If declared, the Champion
         must be in the Adepts or lower brackets on the turn they are declared
         without having gone above the Adepts bracket at any time...including
         transferred teams.  (I'll be watching for this occurrence!)
Bloodfeuds:
     a.  Bloodfeuds count for all four (4) turns.  However, the same warrior may not
         be used all four turns.  4 turns means 4 separate warriors.  A penalty of
         -10 will be given to the team who violates this.
Special Conditions:
     a.  I reserve the right for all final decisions.
     b.  If I make a mistake, I'll multiply the points by 2.
     c.  If you claim I did, and *YOU* are wrong, I'll subtract points at the rate of
         x10.
     d.  Each alliance begins with zero (0) points.
     e.  Dark Arena may be used on the first turn of every warrior with no penalty
         (this means a warrior with 0 FE).
     f.  TVs won after the contest begins gain a 25 point one time score once the
         tourney reports are posted in the NL.
     g.  TCs won after the contest begins gain a 50 point one time score with the
         same conditions as noted for TVs.
     h.  NO switching alliance once verified by an alliance that a team has declared
         for.
     i.  Only 7 teams are permitted per alliance for the Turf War 5.
PRIZES:
     Turf Wars are a "Winner Takes All" type contest.  All prizes and 100% of the RU
Certs will be given to the Captain of the winning alliance and it is his/her
responsibility to give these to the alliance membership.
     I have requested from RSI the following:
     a.  renaming of the orth Fork (DM 47) arena;
     b.  renaming of Dark Arena Monsters;
     c.  known favourite rhythms for one warrior on each team of the winning
         alliance.  This warrior would be in the Initiates or above brackets on the
         last turn of the Turf War (they must have at least one arena fight to
         receive this award).
               Baphomet, Host of TW5
Special Note:  A downchallenge is considered from a higher bracket to a lower
bracket.  Same bracket, more recognition points?  Not a downchallenge!

20 October 2006
In accordance with those rules set forth by the Lady of the Realm, I hereby announce
the formation of a small group of managers calling themselves "The Outsiders".  The
group consists of the following members:
     Doc LeGrande
     Apex
     Street Legal
     Carnage
     Ghoti
     Roadkill
     Valamond
     This group has only one rule.  Respect the play of the managers of this
alliance.  We have no worries about not playing by the rules set forth by others.  We
fight the way we like, and all those in this group appreciate what tools each manager
brings.  We have managers from the Delarquan, Andorian and Free Blade regions.  We
have managers that focus on the tournament arenas, and we have those that focus on
the regular city arenas.  We have those in our ranks that fight with honor and
respect for all, and we have those that have a bloodlust that cannot be quenched.
     Our goal is simple.  To create a ensemble of managers that will show their
prowess in the land of Alastari, and to bring a new level of competition to all those
that share the sands with our warriors.  Our warriors are many throughout the land.
We have no home arena.  We have no pacts we abide by.  Our fighters range from
Mordant to Talcama, from Lapur to Lyratilan, Aruak City to Valamantis, the Primus
arena to Talahya, and many more arenas throughout the land.
     Whether we are sought out or ignored makes no difference to us.  We are what we
are.  We fight how we fight.  And we do it however we wish.  We have no rules.  We
have no leader or ruler.  Be prepared.  We are.

20 October 2006
The Dark Knights of the Desolate Empire respond thus to the Avengers of the Light:
Where are you?  EACH AND EVERY Dark Knight can be found in arenas 31 and 52.  Your
pretty words mean less than nothing if you won't fight.  EVERY Dark Knight is more
than willing to back up their talk.  So...we give you three turns in either 31 or 52,
REPEAT 31 or 52 to show up or shut up.  If you don't show we'll let all of Alastari
know the Avengers are indeed cowards! -- Dark Knights of the Desolate Empire

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

BALL GIRL 1 was butchered by BANDIT PRINCE in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
SPARROW-BLASTER devastated JHEZRA STEELBLADE in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge duel.
SHTEFFI GRAAF handily defeated DEBRA CONKLIN in a 4 minute one-sided Challenge match.
EUROQ devastated JACINTHE in a popular 1 minute one-sided Challenge contest.
EARL demolished ZELLIT in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge competition.
DR STEINBURGER won victory over BECKER COLLIN in a 5 minute master's Title fight.
MARY CATHERINE overpowered GLAVER in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
DAVY PRIVETTE was outlasted by GALOOT in a dull 10 minute melee.
JUANITA was vanquished by RYTHYM WIZARD in a 1 minute uneven duel.
ANNETTE TEVERLY was luckily beaten by QUAR-RAL in a action packed 6 minute duel.
BROQUS defeated PELLOZOEN in a action packed 1 minute novice's fight.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|TOTAL PARRY                      4         TOTAL PARRY       33 -  11 -  0      75  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   3         SLASHING ATTACK   18 -  12 -  1      60  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  2         BASHING ATTACK    23 -  16 -  0      59  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     2         AIMED BLOW        11 -   9 -  1      55  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  2         WALL OF STEEL     15 -  18 -  0      45  |
|AIMED BLOW                       2         LUNGING ATTACK    19 -  23 -  2      45  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   2         STRIKING ATTACK   11 -  17 -  0      39  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    2         PARRY-RIPOSTE      4 -   7 -  0      36  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      1         PARRY-STRIKE       2 -   6 -  0      25  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         PARRY-LUNGE        3 -  10 -  1      23  |

Turn 486 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:

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

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
TOTAL PARRY      DR STEINBURGER 3442        21   7  0   93 FANDILS (75)
BASHING ATTACK   MARY CATHERINE 3459        11   5  2   94 FANDILS (75)
SLASHING ATTACK  SPARROW-BLASTER 3900        9   4  2   91 CYNICAL DELUSIONS (218)
AIMED BLOW       JHEZRA STEELBLADE 3017     10   8  0   69 TUFT-TASTIC! (265)
WALL OF STEEL    DAVY PRIVETTE 3447         15   2  0   57 FANDILS (75)
LUNGING ATTACK   ANNETTE TEVERLY 3651        6   3  1   54 TUFT-TASTIC! (265)
PARRY-STRIKE     RYTHYM WIZARD 3357          8   6  0   51 INFERNAL LORDS (8)
STRIKING ATTACK  EUROQ 3901                  6   5  0   42 INFERNAL LORDS (8)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is BECKER COLLIN 3850.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was ANNETTE TEVERLY 3651.  The ten other most popular fighters were EUROQ 3901, 
BROQUS 3947, SHTEFFI GRAAF 3388, BECKER COLLIN 3850, RYTHYM WIZARD 3357, EARL 3951, 
MARY CATHERINE 3459, SPARROW-BLASTER 3900, DR STEINBURGER 3442, and BALL GIRL 1 3960.

The least popular fighter this week was GALOOT 3907.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were DAVY PRIVETTE 3447, QUAR-RAL 3898, PELLOZOEN 3961, JUANITA 3926, GLAVER 
3915, ZELLIT 3948, JACINTHE 3892, DEBRA CONKLIN 3890, JHEZRA STEELBLADE 3017, and 
BALL GIRL 1 3960.