DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER

Date   : 11/06/2003    Duedate: 11/19/2003

ROCANIS ARENA

DM-56    TURN-337

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

GAZELLE
REDHORSE (207)
(56-3701) [18-8-0,102]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

GAZELLE                        CAPTAIN CAVEMAN
REDHORSE (207)                 LAFFALYMPICS (402)
(56-3701) [18-8-0,102]         (56-3753) [3-0-0,33]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

BROKEN TOE                     TENACULUM
REDHORSE (207)                 GENERAL SURGERY (267)
(56-3683) [13-17-1,57]         (56-3735) [6-5-0,70]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

BAD APPLES (187)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. BAD APPLES (187)            37
2. GENERAL SURGERY (267)       23      REDHORSE (207)
3. LAFFALYMPICS (402)          10      Unchartered Team
4. REDHORSE (207)               0
5. SADISTS-OCTAGON (397)        0      LAFFALYMPICS (402)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1- 2 SADISTS-OCTAGON (397)     27  13  2 67.5   1/ 2 BAD APPLES (187)          8  6 0
 2/ 1*LAFFALYMPICS (402)         4   2  0 66.7   2/ 1 REDHORSE (207)            7  8 0
 3- 4*HUNTERS AND PREY (399)    10   8  3 55.6   3/ 3 GENERAL SURGERY (267)     7  8 0
 4/ 5 REDHORSE (207)           322 368 13 46.7   4/ 6*LAFFALYMPICS (402)        4  2 0
 5/ 6 BAD APPLES (187)         266 370 14 41.8   5- 4 SADISTS-OCTAGON (397)     3  1 0
 6/ 7 GENERAL SURGERY (267)     56  82  1 40.6   6- 7*HUNTERS AND PREY (399)    2  1 0
 7- 8*RAGNAROK (403)             0   1  0  0.0   7- 8*RAGNAROK (403)            0  1 0

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

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

          + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Charter Cities #94 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Between Morya and Rocanis originally, but now somewhere else:

     Iron Talon immediately abandoned trying to draw her sword and threw herself off
her horse on the other side.  Not difficult, since the horse was rearing and
screaming.  And the monster which was not Lugard was immediately distracted, turning
its claws on the frantic beast instead.  Iron Talon landed and rolled to her feet,
and now she did have time to draw her sword.
     The monster had the horse down and was ripping at its belly, making a bloody
mess without killing the poor beast.  Iron Talon cut the horse's throat quickly as
she circled.  The monster didn't notice when the horse stopped screaming and
thrashing, didn't notice the furious woman coming up behind it with a sword.  Its
stupidity surprised her, but she didn't mind.  It was fine with her, in fact.  She
glided in and sank her blade into the monster's kidney.  She felt the blow as a near-
paralyzing stab in her back.
     Apparently the monster didn't have kidneys, and that purple stuff on her blade
was not blood.  It whirled, batting at her sword with one...paw.  It looked less like
Lugard than it had at first, for which she was grateful.  And it didn't seem to know
anything about intelligent fighting, either--grab and claw-slash seemed to be the
extent of its abilities.  When her sword was knocked out of line by its first blow,
she twisted a little and let her self fall and roll in that direction, glad enough to
go down until the pain faded a little.  Then she came back to her feet to hack at its
neck.  By chance--she was sure it was not an intentional block--it threw up one arm
and took the edge of her blade there.  Her sword cut to the bone, but the monster
didn't seem to notice.  Her sword dropped from a hand suddenly strengthless as pain
ripped through her own arm.
     Iron Talon lurched back out of the way and wondered what she was going to do if
the thing was unkillable.  Silly question.  She'd die, that's what.  As she watched,
the damaged arm healed.
     The monster straightened up, taking a more man-like posture, swaying as though
with some internal struggle, and its features...flowed like softened wax, shaping
themselves into Lugard's face again.  The claws became less obvious, the teeth less
like a shark's as it grimaced.  But its eyes remained black, doorways into the Pit.
     "I will not harm you," the monster said.  The movements of its lips did not
quite match the words.  "You gave me entry into this shape, creatrix.  But you must
not attempt to harm me.  You must not deny me what I need.  That is no part of a
creator's duty.  You must provide for me, as you provided this meat.  I will eat, and
you will stay here and not harm me, and then you will give me water to drink.  You
will take me to more meat.  This is your duty."
     "I'll die first," she growled.  "I'll kill you if I die in the attempt."
     "You will die," it said.  "We are bound together by your act of creation." 
Fires blazed in the darkness of its eyes.  "You will wait where you are until I have
fed," it commanded.
     Furious, Iron Talon bent to pick up her sword again.  And cried out, as fire
wrapped around her.  She had never known such pain, and when it suddenly stopped,
that was pain of another kind.  She lay on the gravelly ground, gasping for breath.
     "You will not attempt to harm me," the monster said.  "It will not be
permitted."

          + ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Charter Cities #95 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

From Monuntial to Niatoli:

     Agro didn't know if the Usurper's men hadn't been able to get a boat moving fast
enough to do any good, or if they'd decided this little band of rebels wasn't worth
the effort, but nobody followed them out of Monuntial harbor.  Someone had mentioned
that the Usurper's men patrolled all around the peninsula, though, so maybe they
didn't feel there was any need for pursuit.  Not a comforting thought, but he'd been
a long time out of the egg since he expected things to go easily.  At least the
rebels seemed to know their way about this boat, or maybe it was a ship, and to know
the waters.  He'd heard that there were a lot of hazards in the lake in this area,
rocks under the surface, and wrecks that would rip the bottom out of an unwary boat
as fast as the rocks would.
     One of the men who had climbed up the mast yelled, "Ship coming!"
     Everyone looked back toward the shore, but the water was empty of other vessels.
The peninsula itself was merely a dark band of trees on the horizon, the city a
cluster of paler shapes.  Agro staggered as the deck underfoot shifted and tilted.
He glanced around and saw that the approaching ship was coming from farther out, and
it was big, and there were...he squinted, rather a lot of armed men on the deck,
sunlight winking off shields and helms and spear points.
     Tully, at the stern, was yelling commands to the two men up the mast, and they
were scrambling around doing things with ropes and sails.  Lots of sails.  The deck
tilted farther, and Agro, clinging to the railing, had a view of the Storm Sea's
clear, dark-green water rushing by close at hand.  It was laced with foam, very
decorative, and very uninviting.  He hoped the ship wasn't in the process of turning
over and dumping them into the lake.  He glimpsed things poking upward from the
bottom, some wrecked ship's timbers, maybe, or drowned trees.  They didn't quite
reach the ship he was on, but what if there were others reaching a little higher?  He
could swim, and Bindi could swim, but they preferred WARM water....
     The ship tilted the other way, not instantly, but it felt like a fast change
anyway.  Agro released the rail and allowed himself to slide toward the cabin in the
middle of the deck, pulled himself upright, and looked around to see what was
happening.  The rebels who weren't engaged in steering the ship were holding onto
whatever they could reach, and he guessed they were praying.  And the other ship was
approaching, not aiming directly at them, but the Croc could see that the two courses
were converging despite the crooked maneuvers Tully was sailing.
     The bigger ship was zigzagging, too.  Ah, trying to find a clear channel!  Of
course.  And being bigger, it would need a deeper channel.  That must be what Tully
was counting on, because it was a good bet they couldn't outrun the other.  The other
ship was so close that he could hear people in the front of it screaming warnings to
the steersman.  It was changing course, but slowly.  Well, you couldn't expect it to
skid around like a pony.  With any luck, it'd hit some snag and get the bottom ripped
out, a prospect Agro could view with enthusiasm.  Too bad there wouldn't be time to
go after some of the survivors....  The Croc licked his lips and sighed.  Oh, well,
another time.
     As he had that thought, the bigger ship seemed to jerk and shudder, slowing
suddenly.  Some of the rebels who knew how ships ought to behave cheered.
     One of them, scrambling along the deck, thumped Agro on the shoulder and
shouted, "Niatoli, here we come!  We'll be there in time for dinner!"

     >)]H[(< + -----:----- + >)] The Free Cities #72 [(< + -----:----- + >)]H[(<

Between Ibizond and Korga:

     The hound that Fist of Kjarran had crippled was dragging itself down the road
toward its approaching master, whining pitifully.  If it had been a proper dog, the
gladiator might have regretted the injury.  As it was...serve the damned beast right.
     As the hound had appeared to grow when it charged him, so did the hunter.  What
might have been a big horse--if it was a horse at all--became huge, and its rider
dominated the sky.  He...it seemed to wear a crown of cold lights, or maybe there
were northern lights in the sky behind its head.  No, that wasn't north, that was
southeast.  Fist shook his own head to clear out the fantasies.  As the rider passed
the crippled hound, he cried out in a terrible voice, a word Fist didn't know and
didn't want to know.  An evil word, he was sure.  Maybe a spell, or a vow of
vengeance.  Not that it mattered!  He had the protection of Kjarran and Jayde.  He
raised his sword against the moon-colored blade that was swinging down out of the
stars above him.
     "Kjarran and Jayde guide my hand!" Fist shouted, and then the blow fell against
his blade with enough force that it drove him to his knees.  The hunter's blade was
white as bone, his own turned red as life's blood, and warmth came into his hands
from his two-handed grip on it, and down his arms, to counter the icy air that
cloaked his opponent.  He was a little surprised to find himself still alive after
such a blow, more surprised still to find his blade unbroken.  Nothing but the direct
intervention of his god Kjarran and the god's Daughter Jayde could have preserved his
life, he was sure.  And the only proper way to show appreciation of that aid was to
get up and fight.  Which he would do.
     As the hunter's blade was withdrawn and raised for another blow, Fist lurched to
his feet.  The hunter was thundering more of his evil-sounding words, they seemed to
streak toward him like arrows, like an icy hail or the bitterest wind of winter, and
it was hard to stand against them, the coldness and the hate and the fury.
Impossible to stand against another powerful sword-stroke delivered in their wake.
Fist did the only thing he could think of and threw himself forward under the falling
blade, slashing at the horse's forelegs where it reared high, then at its belly as he
rolled under it and out into the road.
     The horse screamed as cold-gleaming coils emerged from its belly and came down
on all four feet, stumbled when one of its front legs wouldn't hold, and fell.  The
hunter leaped free, but the fallen horse was now between him and his prey.  Cold
light, colder than moonlight and without that clean purity, shivered around him.
     The intestines that had spilled from the horse writhed like snakes, or like an
animated snare, coils twisting toward Fist.  If they caught him, the gladiator
believed they would be like a snare and would hold him for the vengeance of the
hunter.  He edged backward, not taking his eyes off the hunter but wondering uneasily
what had become of the hounds.  The idea of one or two of those hell-hounds coming up
behind was enough to shake the steadiest nerves.
     As though in answer to his worry, one of the hounds howled pain behind him.
     "We've got your back," Cadal said.  At that moment, the barbarian's voice was
the sweetest sound Fist could imagine.
     "Serimna shield us all with her mercy!" Zilla added.
     There were several butchery whacks interspersed with screams, and Aghtamar
growled, "What does it take to kill the damned thing?"
     The knowledge that his friends were at his back, ready to stand and fight beside
him, was more warming than sunlight.
     "The hounds won't close with us on their own," Cadal reported from close behind
him.  "If we can take out the hunter, we may be home clear on this."
     "That won't be easy," Fist of Kjarran observed.  "These things can be hurt, but
damned if I know what will kill them."  He staggered as one foot was dragged out from
under him.  Someone caught his arm and kept him from falling while he looked down.
And swore.  A loop of the horse's intestines had wrapped itself around his ankle.  He
slashed downward to free his foot, then threw himself to the side just as the hunter
struck.  Blades rang together as one of his comrades parried the blow.  The hunter
spoke more of his unknown words that might be spells or cursing.  Or really cursing,
if it came to that, really laying a curse.
     Fist pushed himself to his feet again and faced his opponent grimly.  "Kjarran
and Jayde, this has got to STOP."  He raised his sword, noting that the blade had
gone red again, and advanced on the dark shape of the hunter.  The blade burned as
hot as the hunter was cold and made a sound like a deep-voiced bell very far away.
Fist felt a presence, a force, move through his body, and without willing it he
lunged forward, driving the bright-burning blade toward the hunter.  There was a
roaring around him, and he felt as though he'd been caught in a twist of wind, or an
earthquake, something natural and violent and beyond his control.  It was a relief to
faint.

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

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

                                     Duelmasters
                                     -----------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 477): GWEN RYDER of DREAM PARK (Zalgor Prigg, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 475): CUNNING CALICO of ARENA FELINES (Garfield, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 471): MAN O' WAR of TRIPLE CROWN (Sultan, mgr.)
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 471): PERSIFLAGE of SHROUD IN MYSTERY (Noachian, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 469): ASH of DELTA DOOM (Barnabas, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 468): ADARA AL ZAHRA of JAGUAR WARRIORS (Noachian, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 234): TERRIBLE TOTOMAC of IDIOTIC ICCERS (THawk, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 460): BUZZARD of THE TAKEN (Stillgard, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 232): GAELIN BLACKTALON of THE NIGHTHAWKS (Firehawk, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 457): STARBREAKER of CALL THE PRIEST (Destitute Noble, mgr.)
 DM  33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 455): WILD CARD HAMMER of CASINO HAMMERZ (Hammer, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 448): KING BEAR of THE BEARS (Papa Bear, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 411): HEMERA AHKISAR of TERMAGANT VOTARY (Noachian, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 209): BINGE N PURGE of EMETICS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 203): JUMBO MUMBO of SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 190): MAEGOLOS of DARK SIDHE (Daehir, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 336): ROYCE GRACIE of SADISTS-OCTAGON (SunGod, mgr.)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 316): ALPHABETIZED AL of PISSED AT WORK (Nuln, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 139): MONGOL HORDE of WORLDWIDE GORE (Crip, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 361): NEMESIS of CHAMPIONS from JHELUM (Shadowgate, mgr.)

                                      Top Teams
                                      ---------
 DM   9 ZUKAL (turn 477): BLUE MOON (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 475): ARENA FELINES (Garfield, mgr.)
 DM  15 MALCORN (turn 471): none
 DM  16 WILLAF (turn 471): BLACKHEART'S AXE (?, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 469): SPECIAL ED (PTFT, mgr.)
 DM  19 ZUWAYZA (turn 468): NATURE'S WRATH (?, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 234): KESSEN (Iker, mgr.)
 DM  29 LAPUR (turn 460): CROC FILES (THawk, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 232): WORDS TO THE WISE (Wordsmith, mgr.)
 DM  32 ARVAT (turn 457): DEVIL ADVOCATES (Dark One, mgr.)
 DM  33 NIATOLI ISLAND (turn 455): CASINO HAMMERZ (Hammer, mgr.)
 DM  35 MURSKA (turn 448): THE BEARS (Papa Bear, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 411): MEDS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 209): MIKES MORGUE (Mike, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 203): SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 190): MIDDLE WAY 6 (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 336): REDHORSE (Mila, mgr.)
 DM  61 JURINE (turn 316): FAVORITE GUYS (Jorja, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 139): DHOOMZDEY (Fizban, mgr.)
ADM 103 FREE BLADES (turn 361): MEOW MIX, etc. (Ultraist, mgr.)

                                   Recent Graduates
                                  -----------------
 DM  12 RIZTAB (turn 474): MIKE BELIEVE of POWERPUFF GIRLS (The Narrator, mgr.)
                           EQUALIZER of THE LAWMEN (?, mgr.)
 DM  17 ALJAFIR (turn 469): INBRED FRED of SPECIAL ED (PTFT, mgr.)
 DM  28 MORYA (turn 233): LUCKY LUCIEN of CANADIAN BACON (Firehawk, mgr.)
                          POLARIS of ASTRONOMY DOMINE (Razorback, mgr.)
                          RAPAX of THE PENTARCHY (The Pentalque, mgr.)
 DM  31 CHIMLEVTAL (turn 231): DELWYNNDWN of THE NIGHTHAWKS (Firehawk, mgr.)
                               GILGAMESH of THE STORMBRINGERS (High Lord Bosk, mgr.)
 DM  43 VEASTIAN (turn 411): HEMERA AHKISAR of TERMAGANT VOTARY (Noachian, mgr.)
                 (turn 410): SUNGOD DESIGNED ME of WENSINWASIN (Youngblood, mgr.)
 DM  45 STORMCROWE (turn 208): IPECAC of EMETICS (Berylstar, mgr.)
 DM  47 NORTH FORK (turn 203): JUMBO MUMBO of SPOONERTIKS (Spawn, mgr.)
                   (turn 202): THREEKARD of CARNIVAL (Carny, mgr.)
 DM  50 SNOWBOUND (turn 189): MR. HOOPER of OPEN SESAME (Crip, mgr.)
 DM  56 ROCANIS (turn 335): DUMPLING of BAD APPLES (Uncle Wolf, mgr.)
 DM  73 ERINIKA (turn 139): SUNGLASSES of FOUND IN THE SAND (Assurnasirbanipal, mgr.)
                (turn 138): I.O.U. of ALPHABET SOUP (Crip, mgr.)

                                      SPY REPORT

     Good day, friends and fiends, welcome to your friendly neighborhood spyreport.  
I doubt ROCANIS will ever be the same.  It seems the training can make the 
difference, as REDHORSE is pushed out of top team by BAD APPLES, who came from 2nd 
with a 3-1-0 this turn.  The BAD APPLES guild has had a 3-1-0 turn and deserves to be 
watched in the future.  You never know where this kind of thing can lead.  And let's 
see, DEADFALL fought MOUNTAIN GOAT and gained 18 points and contributed to BAD 
APPLES' 3-1-0.  HEDGEHOG has lost to CAPTAIN CAVEMAN, falling 10 points, while 
helping make REDHORSE a 2-3-0 turn.  Due to his absence and inability to defend the 
throne, ROYCE GRACIE has lost the title of Duelmaster.  And all eyes were on GAZELLE 
this turn as he ascended to the throne of Duelmaster.  ROCANIS has a new victor!  By 
the way, was that our Duelmaster that I saw last night, cramped under the table at 
The Wanton Troll?   
     The crowd's roar, the smell of iron and leather, mixed with sweat, what more 
could a warrior ask of life?  Well, besides that.  I also notice that the GENERAL 
SURGERY stable was the most avoided team this turn.  Come on ROCANIS, what are you 
afraid of?  And avoiding GENERAL SURGERY more than any other team we find 
LAFFALYMPICS.  ROCANIS, are we going to accept, or respect this sort of thing?  The 
most challenged warrior this turn was REDHORSE's warrior GAZELLE.  More fighters 
challenged him than challenged the Duelmaster!  Building dreams on hope, TENACULUM 
challenged up 30 points this turn to take on GAZELLE from REDHORSE stable.  And 
though TENACULUM lost to GAZELLE, the valiant attempt earned him 2 worth of 
recognition.  Foolhardiness can sometimes pay.   
     The Dark Arena is for those who cannot win, not who cannot lose with grace.  
Dignity in life or death is the warrior's creed.  Is it really true that ROCANIS has 
more dishwashers per capita that fighters?  Just thought I'd ask...   
     Remember, blood on the purple robe does not change it from a purple robe.  Dare 
to fight bravely.  Well, I'm burning daylight here in ROCANIS and I've a long road 
ahead of me.  Happy Trails.  Until the sun next rises and my pen sets to paper-- 
Alarond the Scribe  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 GAZELLE 3701                 18   8  0   102       REDHORSE (207)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-ROYCE GRACIE 3686            10   0  0   104       SADISTS-OCTAGON (397)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 ELEVEN BLADE 3721            11   4  0    85       GENERAL SURGERY (267)
 4-0 PROLENE 2570             20  14  0    84       GENERAL SURGERY (267)
 WORMY 3706                   12  12  2    71       BAD APPLES (187)
 TENACULUM 3735                6   5  0    70       GENERAL SURGERY (267)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 APPLEMINT 3736                8   3  1    60       BAD APPLES (187)
-DAN SEVERN 3690               6   1  0    59       SADISTS-OCTAGON (397)
 DEADFALL 3685                 7  22  0    58       BAD APPLES (187)
 BROKEN TOE 3683              13  17  1    57       REDHORSE (207)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-PAT MILETICH 3688             6   1  1    56       SADISTS-OCTAGON (397)
 MOUNTAIN GOAT 3700           13  13  3    55       REDHORSE (207)
-MATT HUGHES 3717              5   1  1    49       SADISTS-OCTAGON (397)
 JAVELINO 3728                 7   5  0    34       REDHORSE (207)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CAPTAIN CAVEMAN 3753          3   0  0    33       LAFFALYMPICS (402)
-WILD INDIGO 3712              3   1  1    28       HUNTERS AND PREY (399)
-LADY MANTLE 3713              3   1  0    27       HUNTERS AND PREY (399)
 NURSE ELAINE 2955             4   2  0    24       GENERAL SURGERY (267)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CHUX 3726                     5   8  0    23       GENERAL SURGERY (267)
 HEDGEHOG 3748                 5   2  0    20       REDHORSE (207)
 JONATHANNIE 3747              3   4  0    18       BAD APPLES (187)
 HONG KONG PHOOEY 3754         1   2  0     9       LAFFALYMPICS (402)
-HELLEBORE 3715                1   2  1     6       HUNTERS AND PREY (399)
-SUZIE SUE 3711                1   3  0     6       HUNTERS AND PREY (399)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-EINHERJAR 3758                0   1  0     1       RAGNAROK (403)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
CATCHFLY 3714          2  1 1 HUNTERS AND PREY 399  MATT HUGHES 3717      334 REVENGED

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Dumpling -- I'm not very strong and I think my favorite weapon is the Battleaxe.  It
sure wears me out to swing that thing!  Have fun at the Isle! -- 4-0 Prolene

Javelino -- What?  Only one skill?  Am I stupid or are you just stingy? -- Nurse
Elaine

Gazelle -- Wow, you sure fight back a lot for such a defensive style.  Thanks for the
skills though. -- Tenaculum

Mountain Goat -- Goat meat sure is tough.... -- Eleven Blade

Royce Gracie -- How sadistic of you!  My congratulations on living up to your team
name.  Er, I don't know where the "octagon" part comes in, though.  After all, you
only hit me SIX times. -- Dumpling, glad to be out of it all

Captain Caveman -- All RIGHT, then, I won't come NEAR your stupid cave. --
Jonathannie
P.S.  And stop trying to grab me by the hair!

Broken Toe -- HA! -- Wormy, triumphant but inarticulate with it today

Matt Hughes -- Burying me in the sand was definitely sadistic. -- Deadfall
P.S.  But at least you knocked me down first.

Hedgehog -- Rolling up into a ball does not work as a defensive tactic in the arena.
-- Applemint

4-0 -- Er, would you believe that it's caramel-rum sauce? -- Dumpling

Gazelle -- (sourly)  Try kicking your heels in a dungeon for fifteen years and see if
YOU're still tough. -- Rirorni Assassin

Broken Toe -- I'm not "flavors."  I'm an herb. -- Applemint

Team Redhorse -- Not for caravan raiders there won't! -- Lady Protector Dumpling

31 October 2003
     Come one, come all, to the greatest contest in Alastari!  The Third Annual Turf
War will be in North Fork (DM 47) starting in about 6-7 turns....  C'mon and get your
team some experience, and get declared!
     More info available in North Fork's newsletter.
     Bloody Sands. -- Asmo Dius, TCB

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

TENACULUM was devastated by GAZELLE in a 4 minute mismatched Challenge Title fight.
CHUX lost to JAVELINO in a action packed 1 minute Challenge battle.
HONG KONG PHOOEY was subdued by JONATHANNIE in a 2 minute Challenge fight.
4-0 PROLENE won victory over APPLEMINT in a 2 minute mismatched brawl.
ELEVEN BLADE overpowered RIRORNI ASSASSIN in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
WORMY vanquished BROKEN TOE in a 1 minute mismatched fight.
DEADFALL overpowered MOUNTAIN GOAT in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
HEDGEHOG was defeated by CAPTAIN CAVEMAN in a action packed 1 minute gruesome melee.
NURSE ELAINE vanquished PERSISTENT BEGGAR in a 3 minute one-sided duel.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK                   6         AIMED BLOW         5 -   2 -  0      71  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      3         SLASHING ATTACK    8 -   4 -  1      67  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   2         PARRY-LUNGE        3 -   2 -  1      60  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    2         LUNGING ATTACK    33 -  24 -  2      58  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         TOTAL PARRY       16 -  13 -  0      55  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  1         WALL OF STEEL     17 -  18 -  1      49  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  1         STRIKING ATTACK    7 -   8 -  0      47  |
|AIMED BLOW                       0         BASHING ATTACK     9 -  13 -  0      41  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         PARRY-STRIKE       2 -   3 -  0      40  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     0         PARRY-RIPOSTE      5 -   8 -  1      38  |

Turn 337 was great if you     Not so great if you used      The fighting styles of the
used the fighting styles:     the fighting styles:          top eleven warriors are:

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

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
TOTAL PARRY      GAZELLE 3701               18   8  0  102 REDHORSE (207)
LUNGING ATTACK   ELEVEN BLADE 3721          11   4  0   85 GENERAL SURGERY (267)
SLASHING ATTACK  APPLEMINT 3736              8   3  1   60 BAD APPLES (187)
STRIKING ATTACK  JAVELINO 3728               7   5  0   34 REDHORSE (207)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is BROKEN TOE 3683.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was TENACULUM 3735.  The ten other most popular fighters were JAVELINO 3728, CAPTAIN 
CAVEMAN 3753, GAZELLE 3701, HONG KONG PHOOEY 3754, ELEVEN BLADE 3721, JONATHANNIE 
3747, 4-0 PROLENE 2570, APPLEMINT 3736, DEADFALL 3685, and WORMY 3706.

The least popular fighter this week was NURSE ELAINE 2955.  The other ten least 
popular fighters were HEDGEHOG 3748, BROKEN TOE 3683, CHUX 3726, MOUNTAIN GOAT 3700, 
WORMY 3706, DEADFALL 3685, APPLEMINT 3736, 4-0 PROLENE 2570, JONATHANNIE 3747, and 
ELEVEN BLADE 3721.

The following warriors will travel to ADVANCED DUELMASTERS after next turn:

GAZELLE (56-3701) REDHORSE (207)

                       TOURNEY FREEZE CHANGE -- ADVANCE NOTICE

     Beginning at the Winter Face-to-Face in Tempe (January 2004), we will implement 
several changes affecting tournaments.  The tournament announcement for the upcoming 
FTF and future tourneys will reflect these changes.
     First, we will eliminate the tourney freeze for all regular DM warrior classes.  
Regular DM warriors will not be classed ahead of the tournament, but instead will 
fight according to their FE on the date of the tourney.  There will still be a freeze 
for the ADM classes, occurring on the same timeline as before, approximately 6 weeks 
before the tournament.
     In addition to the above change, the warrior classes will be slightly altered.  
The new tourney classes will be as follows:

                DM Tourney Classes                 ADM Tourney Classes
              ======================              ======================
                  0 FE:  Rookies                        Freshmen
                1-4 FE:  Apprentices                    ADM
               5-10 FE:  Initiates                      Eligibles
              11-20 FE:  Adepts                      ---induction---
              21-30 FE:  Champions                      Contenders
                31+ FE:  Challengers                    Primus

     All regular DM tourney classes will remain solely FE based.  All ADM classes will 
now be based on warrior characteristics (i.e., the ADM split algorithm), including the 
Freshmen class.
     The Gateway and Primus arenas will be merging before the FTF to form one top 
arena.  These warriors will be split into two tournament classes, the Contenders and 
the Primus classes, again based upon their characteristics.  More information on this 
will be published in the newsletters for those arenas.
     If you have any questions about the above changes, please contact Customer 
Service.  Good luck in your games.

                                          -- Green Eyes and the RSI staff