DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 12/28/2011 Duedate: 01/10/2012
SHADOWSPIRE ARENA
DM-81 TURN-130
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
PABST
ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)
(81-823) [17-4-0,127]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
PABST KRONSTEEN
ALE HOUSE MERCS (5) BOND-AGE (133)
(81-823) [17-4-0,127] (81-1748) [6-1-0,67]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
DOPPLEGANGER HARP
MONSTER MANUAL (87) ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)
(81-1382) [19-19-0,100] (81-744) [13-12-0,73]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
OF WOLF AND MAN (57)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. WARMASTERS (15) 41
2. FOOD (130) 41 LA PENTARCHIE (11)
3. DRAGONBANE GUILD (13) 39 Unchartered Team
4. OTTO'S DINER (96) 24
5. LITERATE LOONS (40) 24 BOND-AGE (133)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 2*BOND-AGE (133) 23 12 1 65.7 1/ 2 OF WOLF AND MAN (57) 11 4 0
2/ 3 LA PENTARCHIE (11) 372 270 14 57.9 2/ 8 FURRY FURY (25) 9 4 1
3/ 4 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13) 348 298 11 53.9 3/ 3 LA PENTARCHIE (11) 9 4 0
4/ 5 SUMMERBORN (104) 147 126 15 53.8 4/ 1*BOND-AGE (133) 9 6 0
5- 6 JUNGLELAND (103) 143 124 4 53.6 5/ 5 DARQUE AGES (29) 8 6 0
6/ 7 DARQUE AGES (29) 283 250 13 53.1 6/11 LITERATE LOONS (40) 8 7 1
7/10 OF WOLF AND MAN (57) 325 297 13 52.3 7/ 4 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5) 8 7 0
8/ 9 OTTO'S DINER (96) 175 160 5 52.2 8/ 6 CLAN LONGBEARD (39) 8 7 0
9/11 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5) 165 155 5 51.6 9/ 9 SUMMERBORN (104) 7 7 2
10/12 CLAN LONGBEARD (39) 333 314 15 51.5 10/14*THE WILLBURYS II (127) 7 8 1
11/13 WARMASTERS (15) 324 314 24 50.8 11/15 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13) 7 8 0
12/14 FOOD (130) 27 27 2 50.0 12/ 7 OTTO'S DINER (96) 7 8 0
13/15 LITERATE LOONS (40) 311 337 14 48.0 13/10 FOOD (130) 6 8 2
14/17 FURRY FURY (25) 192 220 10 46.6 14/12 MONSTER MANUAL (87) 5 9 0
15-18 CLUB CUTTHROAT (12) 24 28 1 46.2 15/13 GFE (126) 5 10 1
16/19 GFE (126) 34 44 3 43.6 16/18 WARMASTERS (15) 5 10 0
17/20 MONSTER MANUAL (87) 158 208 5 43.2 17/22 RAIN DOGS (132) 4 11 0
18/21 RAIN DOGS (132) 21 29 0 42.0 18-19 JUNGLELAND (103) 3 2 0
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
19-22 MY TOP RATED (129) 27 38 0 41.5 19-16 ARCHAIC CHAOS (111) 3 2 0
20/23*THE WILLBURYS II (127) 10 15 2 40.0 20-17 MY TOP RATED (129) 1 4 0
21-24 ARCHAIC CHAOS (111) 73 112 8 39.5 21-24 CLUB CUTTHROAT (12) 0 1 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
DUELMASTER'S COLUMN
Notes from the arena champ.
Well, I've scummed my way to the top. What can I say, in a world of slashers,
Bashers, and lungers, the man with two shields is king. I'm not very smart, so I'll
probably be around a while. I'll try not to stink up the throne too bad for the next
guy. I think I'll go after Nikus this time, just because I'm pretty sure I can beat
him. After that I'll probably just accept challenges. Well, time to get back to
swork practice... ha ha ha, we all know that's not true.
Long live the king,
Pabst
SPY REPORT
Busy, busy, busy, lots of things happening in SHADOWSPIRE this turn, and let's
start with a look at some of the teams. It seems the training can make the
difference, as BOND-AGE is pushed out of top team by OF WOLF AND MAN, who came from
2nd with a 3-2-0 this turn. Now keep the taverns open late tonight, for there are
sorrows to drown for OTTO'S DINER, whose 2-3-0 this turn dropped them by 5 into 12th.
FURRY FURY stable has parlayed this turn's 2-2-0 into a 6 space move up the rankings.
This brings them up to 2nd place. Good work, guys! The FOOD 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, JUNEBUG fought BECK and gained 24 points and
contributed to SUMMERBORN's 3-2-1. SUMNER has lost to LITTLE DARLING, falling 13
points, while helping make THE WILLBURYS II a 2-3-0 turn. Well done, SHADOWSPIRE,
the Duelmaster was this turn's most challenged warrior. Perhaps PABST is not as
thrilled, being challenged 6 times. DOPPLEGANGER challenged for the Duelmastership
this turn, attempting to dethrone ALE HOUSE MERCS' warrior. The attempts to dethrone
the Duelmaster have failed, and PABST remains SHADOWSPIRE's top warrior for another
turn. Tell me, is nothing sacred? I have heard from unimpeachable sources that The
Dripping Blade uses trolls in their stew. Talk about gristle!
He who challenges well, fights well. He who avoids without cause, shall lose
for good reasons. My mama told me that one. OTTO'S DINER has cause to stand tall,
as they were SHADOWSPIRE's most avoided team. A smart manager knows this is a team
to beat. And guess who avoided OTTO'S DINER stable the most? Believe it or not, it
was ALE HOUSE MERCS. Anyone surprised? In a brave attempt, IRONHEAD from DRAGONBANE
GUILD challenged up 19 points to fight VALAK from the OF WOLF AND MAN stable.
IRONHEAD perhaps got his just desserts, seeing as he overcame VALAK and ended up with
55 recognition points.
We only live a short time in this world, so why not take a sharp blade, and
shave it close? I guess it was coming sooner or later, ALE HOUSE MERCS has lost
BECK, and SHADOWSPIRE is bound to miss him. For a little while, at least. The
Dripping Blade declares a free round for WONDERFACE and all of LA PENTARCHIE, for
having revenged THE WILLBURYS II's TUKWILLA for killing one of their comrades. Is it
really true that SHADOWSPIRE has more dishwashers per capita that fighters? Just
thought I'd ask...
I like this place, SHADOWSPIRE, the taverns have old wine, and young serving
girls. Who could ask for more? Well, I'm burning daylight here in SHADOWSPIRE 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
PABST 823 17 4 0 127 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
JAGER VON DRACHEN 1341 22 20 0 108 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)
FIVE 1572 14 7 1 106 LA PENTARCHIE (11)
NIKUS 1583 12 8 1 106 OF WOLF AND MAN (57)
ANGEROO 1452 20 10 0 104 FURRY FURY (25)
CICERO 1266 27 21 0 102 WARMASTERS (15)
DOPPLEGANGER 1382 19 19 0 100 MONSTER MANUAL (87)
WONDERFACE 1522 14 11 0 99 LA PENTARCHIE (11)
SQUASHAPILLAR 1478 14 14 1 98 FURRY FURY (25)
ARCHON 1390 23 14 0 97 OF WOLF AND MAN (57)
-MADAM MARIE 1356 24 12 0 96 JUNGLELAND (103)
TOM WOLFE 1467 16 14 3 91 LITERATE LOONS (40)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
CREIDDY LAD 1484 15 13 2 90 SUMMERBORN (104)
SPORK 1562 15 7 0 90 OTTO'S DINER (96)
JUNEBUG 1543 12 10 4 90 SUMMERBORN (104)
BENEDICT 1470 16 13 0 87 OF WOLF AND MAN (57)
JAKLAK 1430 21 12 0 84 CLAN LONGBEARD (39)
GWENNOLAY 1631 10 7 0 82 OF WOLF AND MAN (57)
FISH TACO 1687 8 3 1 79 FOOD (130)
VICTOR 1369 18 20 1 75 WARMASTERS (15)
CHARLES MARTEL 1346 17 22 2 75 DARQUE AGES (29)
ZIGGY PIKE 1487 11 17 0 75 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)
HARP 744 13 12 0 73 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)
KRONSTEEN 1748 6 1 0 67 BOND-AGE (133)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
SUBPRIME RIB 1567 12 9 1 66 OTTO'S DINER (96)
BERNADETTE 1618 9 7 1 66 GFE (126)
BRUSSEL SPROUTS 1688 6 5 1 66 FOOD (130)
-PANDERA PAX 1406 14 15 1 62 ARCHAIC CHAOS (111)
-BIG BONES BILLIE 1442 14 13 1 59 JUNGLELAND (103)
JULIETTE 1630 11 6 0 57 SUMMERBORN (104)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
IRONHEAD 1722 8 2 0 55 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)
-MEAN JOHN BROWN 1648 6 5 0 54 JUNGLELAND (103)
MAXENTIUS 1591 10 8 0 53 WARMASTERS (15)
MOLLUSQUOME 1629 11 6 1 50 LA PENTARCHIE (11)
GREMLIN STEW 1710 10 1 0 49 OTTO'S DINER (96)
-WARDEN KINCHLOE 82 5 5 0 49 CLUB CUTTHROAT (12)
VALAK 1650 7 8 0 48 OF WOLF AND MAN (57)
-GROND 80 5 5 1 48 CLUB CUTTHROAT (12)
CAZADOR 1578 9 11 0 47 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)
ODDJOB 1766 5 1 0 47 BOND-AGE (133)
KNUT SUNDERHELM 1569 9 12 2 45 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)
TEE HEE JOHNSON 1752 5 2 0 45 BOND-AGE (133)
-BOOGER STANG 78 3 7 0 45 CLUB CUTTHROAT (12)
-JERSEY DEVIL 1638 7 5 1 42 JUNGLELAND (103)
KIRIN ICHIBAN 1680 7 6 0 40 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)
ONION RINGS 1684 7 4 0 40 FOOD (130)
SUSAN 1665 7 7 0 38 GFE (126)
LANEL 1619 9 7 0 34 GFE (126)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
LITTLE DARLING 1700 6 6 0 33 SUMMERBORN (104)
JOSEPH MITCHELL 1746 4 4 1 33 LITERATE LOONS (40)
-HYPNOTIZE 1679 4 7 0 33 MY TOP RATED (129)
NICK NACK 1750 3 4 1 33 BOND-AGE (133)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-LAODAMEIA 1713 4 4 1 31 ARCHAIC CHAOS (111)
ZADIE SMITH 1701 9 3 0 30 LITERATE LOONS (40)
MICHELLE 1622 5 11 0 29 GFE (126)
-ANTENOR 1731 4 3 0 29 ARCHAIC CHAOS (111)
-KING OF ROCK 1709 6 3 0 28 MY TOP RATED (129)
WASHSOUGAL 1625 4 1 0 28 THE WILLBURYS II (127)
TARA THE RED 1698 7 3 0 27 RAIN DOGS (132)
MARTILN 1742 5 2 0 27 CLAN LONGBEARD (39)
FEOHR 1737 6 3 0 26 CLAN LONGBEARD (39)
DROW 1774 4 2 0 26 MONSTER MANUAL (87)
HELL HOUND 1788 3 0 0 26 MONSTER MANUAL (87)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-NIGHT LIES 1663 4 9 0 23 MY TOP RATED (129)
LADY GODIVA 1782 4 0 0 23 DARQUE AGES (29)
TOSSED SALAD 1686 3 8 0 23 FOOD (130)
TUKWILLA 1627 2 3 2 23 THE WILLBURYS II (127)
JULIAN OF NORWICH 1783 2 2 0 22 DARQUE AGES (29)
MILAREPA 1695 5 5 0 20 RAIN DOGS (132)
EBORIUS 1799 1 0 0 20 WARMASTERS (15)
-ASTYANAX 1791 1 0 0 19 ARCHAIC CHAOS (111)
HIGGS BOSON 1697 4 6 0 18 RAIN DOGS (132)
WYNDHAM LEWIS 1776 3 3 0 18 LITERATE LOONS (40)
HOLY MOLET 1779 2 2 0 18 RAIN DOGS (132)
-MISS MISERY 1725 4 4 0 17 MY TOP RATED (129)
ZARLENE 1726 3 7 1 17 GFE (126)
SUMNER 1624 2 3 0 15 THE WILLBURYS II (127)
HARE BRINGER 1790 2 1 0 15 FURRY FURY (25)
ROSA KLEBB 1765 4 2 0 14 BOND-AGE (133)
-DEADMAN'S FLOAT 375 3 3 0 12 CLUB CUTTHROAT (12)
RODDON 1792 2 1 0 12 CLAN LONGBEARD (39)
ORTING 1626 1 4 0 12 THE WILLBURYS II (127)
CLERLEON 1796 1 1 0 11 LA PENTARCHIE (11)
TAMERLANE 1764 2 4 0 10 DARQUE AGES (29)
IRWEHN 1785 2 2 0 8 CLAN LONGBEARD (39)
BAG-O-MEAT 1762 1 5 0 8 OTTO'S DINER (96)
PURPLE WORM 1775 1 5 0 8 MONSTER MANUAL (87)
GLABRIO 1800 1 0 0 8 WARMASTERS (15)
RENTON 1623 1 4 0 7 THE WILLBURYS II (127)
MIDSUMMER WREATH 1793 1 1 0 6 SUMMERBORN (104)
TURDUCKEN 1784 0 4 0 4 OTTO'S DINER (96)
-BASKET CASE 1789 0 1 0 1 MY TOP RATED (129)
FAILED DOG TRICK 1798 0 1 0 1 FURRY FURY (25)
KURT VONNEGUT 1802 0 1 0 1 LITERATE LOONS (40)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
BECK 743 13 12 0 ALE HOUSE MERCS 5 JUNEBUG 1543 130
ONE CHANCE 1801 0 1 0 ALE HOUSE MERCS 5 STONE GOLEM 130 NONE
RECRUDESCENCE 81 7 5 0 CLUB CUTTHROAT 12 FISH TACO 1687 129
OLD MOE 1767 1 1 1 FURRY FURY 25 NICK NACK 1750 126 JUST REVENGED
DAGON 1794 0 1 0 LA PENTARCHIE 11 TUKWILLA 1627 129 JUST REVENGED
PETER PAN 1759 1 3 0 LA PENTARCHIE 11 JOSEPH MITCHELL 1746 128 REVENGED
TRUMAN CAPOTE 1577 9 10 0 LITERATE LOONS 40 JUNEBUG 1543 129
AMERICAN MUSSELS 1757 2 1 0 OTTO'S DINER 96 LAODAMEIA 1713 126 REVENGED
PEREGRINE 1694 2 8 0 RAIN DOGS 132 BLACK ORC 130 NONE
HADRIAN 1739 4 3 0 WARMASTERS 15 BRUSSEL SPROUTS 1688 129
PERSONAL ADS
Damn! Please stop killing my rookies! It's difficult enough to field an entire team
from France! Well... Merry Christmas anyway.... -- Le Pentarque
Thanks to MDarque for all his writings!
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
PEREGRINE was barely slain by BLACK ORC in a crowd pleasing 2 minute Dark Arena fight.
ONE CHANCE was killed by STONE GOLEM in a 2 minute Dark Arena melee.
ANGEROO savagely defeated NICK NACK in a 6 minute uneven Bloodfeud fight.
WONDERFACE savagely defeated TUKWILLA in a 2 minute bloody one-sided Bloodfeud fight.
MOLLUSQUOME was bested by JOSEPH MITCHELL in a 2 minute Bloodfeud duel.
VICTOR was overpowered by BRUSSEL SPROUTS in a 1 minute one-sided Bloodfeud struggle.
DOPPLEGANGER was unbelievably bested by PABST in a 3 minute Challenge competition.
FIVE viciously subdued SPORK in a action packed 7 minute gory expert's Challenge duel.
HARP was unbelievably bested by JAKLAK in a 10 minute veteran's Challenge duel.
ZIGGY PIKE slimly lost to TOM WOLFE in a exciting 1 minute veteran's Challenge bout.
JUNEBUG murdered BECK in a crowd pleasing 1 minute mismatched Challenge competition.
ODDJOB demolished DROW in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge match.
GREMLIN STEW luckily beat ONION RINGS in a 3 minute Challenge conflict.
IRONHEAD unbelievably bested VALAK in a action packed 4 minute gory Challenge fight.
SUBPRIME RIB devastated TEE HEE JOHNSON in a 2 minute uneven Challenge duel.
CAZADOR was savagely defeated by KRONSTEEN in a 2 minute bloody Challenge brawl.
KIRIN ICHIBAN viciously subdued LANEL in a 2 minute brutal Challenge fight.
ROSA KLEBB was subdued by MICHELLE in a 2 minute Challenge bout.
BAG-O-MEAT was beaten by HIGGS BOSON in a 2 minute Challenge match.
MARTILN savagely defeated ZARLENE in a 3 minute bloody Challenge conflict.
LITTLE DARLING devastated SUMNER in a 2 minute gruesome one-sided Challenge bout.
TURDUCKEN was demolished by WYNDHAM LEWIS in a 1 minute uneven Challenge bout.
IRWEHN was handily defeated by WASHSOUGAL in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge contest.
CREIDDY LAD was defeated by ARCHON in a exciting 2 minute gory expert's fight.
SQUASHAPILLAR slimly won victory over GWENNOLAY in a 2 minute gory fight.
JAGER VON DRACHEN savagely defeated CICERO in a 7 minute veteran's melee.
NIKUS overpowered M. CHARDINEE in a 1 minute one-sided fray.
CHARLES MARTEL was handily defeated by FISH TACO in a popular 1 minute one-sided duel.
BENEDICT defeated BERNADETTE in a action packed 1 minute duel.
MAXENTIUS overpowered FEOHR in a popular 1 minute gory one-sided match.
KNUT SUNDERHELM overpowered MILAREPA in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
JULIETTE viciously subdued ZADIE SMITH in a crowd pleasing 5 minute gruesome match.
TARA THE RED was defeated by SUSAN in a exciting 3 minute brutal struggle.
TOSSED SALAD devastated PURPLE WORM in a 1 minute uneven bout.
TAMERLANE was defeated by RODDON in a exciting 1 minute match.
ORTING viciously subdued KURT VONNEGUT in a popular 5 minute gory beginner's match.
RENTON lost to GLABRIO in a 3 minute amateur's bout.
HOLY MOLET savagely defeated MIDSUMMER WREATH in a 2 minute beginner's competition.
LADY GODIVA outlasted CLERLEON in a 7 minute beginner's battle.
JULIAN OF NORWICH unbelievably bested FAILED DOG TRICK in a 2 minute struggle.
HELL HOUND viciously subdued HARE BRINGER in a 4 minute bloody novice's conflict.
EBORIUS overpowered EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute uneven competition.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|STRIKING ATTACK 16 TOTAL PARRY 72 - 40 - 0 64 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 11 PARRY-STRIKE 52 - 43 - 1 55 |
|TOTAL PARRY 10 WALL OF STEEL 52 - 45 - 1 54 |
|BASHING ATTACK 10 PARRY-LUNGE 17 - 15 - 0 53 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 9 SLASHING ATTACK 36 - 42 - 2 46 |
|WALL OF STEEL 8 STRIKING ATTACK 84 - 99 - 6 46 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 6 AIMED BLOW 28 - 35 - 1 44 |
|AIMED BLOW 5 LUNGING ATTACK 86 - 108 - 4 44 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 3 BASHING ATTACK 55 - 85 - 3 39 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 13 - 22 - 1 37 |
Turn 130 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-LUNGE 3 - 0 AIMED BLOW 2 - 3 5 TOTAL PARRY
TOTAL PARRY 7 - 3 STRIKING ATTACK 6 - 10 3 BASHING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK 6 - 4 PARRY-STRIKE 2 - 7 2 LUNGING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK 6 - 5 1 WALL OF STEEL
PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 - 1
SLASHING ATTACK 3 - 3
WALL OF STEEL 4 - 4
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
TOTAL PARRY PABST 823 17 4 0 127 ALE HOUSE MERCS (5)
WALL OF STEEL JAGER VON DRACHEN 1341 22 20 0 108 DRAGONBANE GUILD (13)
BASHING ATTACK FIVE 1572 14 7 1 106 LA PENTARCHIE (11)
LUNGING ATTACK WONDERFACE 1522 14 11 0 99 LA PENTARCHIE (11)
SLASHING ATTACK TOM WOLFE 1467 16 14 3 91 LITERATE LOONS (40)
STRIKING ATTACK CREIDDY LAD 1484 15 13 2 90 SUMMERBORN (104)
PARRY-LUNGE BENEDICT 1470 16 13 0 87 OF WOLF AND MAN (57)
PARRY-STRIKE GWENNOLAY 1631 10 7 0 82 OF WOLF AND MAN (57)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is DOPPLEGANGER 1382. The most popular warrior this
turn was HARP 744. The ten other most popular fighters were FIVE 1572, JAGER VON
DRACHEN 1341, JULIETTE 1630, ORTING 1626, DOPPLEGANGER 1382, VALAK 1650, PEREGRINE
1694, NICK NACK 1750, CREIDDY LAD 1484, and TARA THE RED 1698.
The least popular fighter this week was LADY GODIVA 1782. The other ten least
popular fighters were KURT VONNEGUT 1802, PURPLE WORM 1775, MILAREPA 1695, DROW 1774,
VICTOR 1369, TUKWILLA 1627, MIDSUMMER WREATH 1793, FEOHR 1737, CHARLES MARTEL 1346,
and IRWEHN 1785.
The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn:
CICERO (81-1266) WARMASTERS (15)
NAME CHANGE-O-RAMA
The crowd was surprisingly orderly, but it was still a crowd, and the Commission
clerk, Algernon, looked at it uneasily. Whenever this many people came together to
petition for something, it meant trouble. For him, anyway. Records to be altered.
Altering records was Bad. It made Extra Work.
His assistant clerk leaned close and whispered, "If it weren't for gladiators, we
wouldn't have jobs. Smile at them and ask what they want."
Algernon closed his eyes briefly. Looking at this crowd made him dizzy. They
were all wearing black and white stripes. Like a herd of zebras, except that zebras
didn't carry swords. Then he took a deep breath and managed a smile. "What... ah,
what can I do for you?"
"We want new names," the first gladiator said. There was a number on the front
of his shirt: 0381. He thumped the number with his thumb. "This here isn't a
name--"
"We want REAL names!" That voice came from farther back in the crowd.
"Yeah! We've paid our dues," another shouted, "and we've EARNED real names!"
One from the very back yelled, "I want to be called Tom."
All the others turned to look at him.
Algernon couldn't see him, but apparently those looks were accusing. Well, he
could understand that, "Tom" was such a... common name.
"My mom called me Tom," the voice in the back protested. "It's a good name."
"It isn't the name you put on the petition," 0381 said. "We talked about this.
We got our manager's agreement. You get the name on the petition."
"But--!"
Algernon didn't really want to keep staring at all these stripes while they
argued. He picked up the petition. "These names are the ones you want?"
0381 turned back. "Yes."
"It's a lot of trouble, and when other people see that YOU are getting name
changes, THEY are going to want them--" Seeing the gladiators beginning to frown...
and finger their weapons, he went on quickly, "So I figure we might as well make it a
complete deal. A Name-Change-O-Rama. Everyone who wants a name change can petition
for it. Get it all over with at once." He glanced at the petition, shuddered
slightly, and passed it to his clerk. "We'll announce it, proclaim it, even, and you
will get the names on this petition. And others will get the names THEY think they
should have had, too." He paused. "And I think I'll get a new name, I'm tired of
being an Algernon...."
* * * * *
Warrior and team name changes will be accepted during the month of February. If
you have names you want to change, please contact Customer Service. -- RSI