AD

Date   : 02/04/2020    Duedate: 02/17/2020

STORM ROCK ARENA

DM 107    TURN 220

RANK TEAMS                 W    L   K    %  RANK TEAMS                 W    L   K    % 
  1 COLOR ME SUA 42/365  963  663   5 59.2    4 BASH BROS TI 72/411  118  211   5 35.9
    CENTER FOR OLDS 18/364                      BASHAHOLICS ANON 59/375
  2 RHYME TYME 55/385     65   19   1 77.4      BASH BROS CHILDREN 38/407
  3 BIG LAKE PUR 28/437  211  233   6 47.5    5 DEADLINE 20/432       24   42   1 36.4
    BIG LAKE BANDITS 33/409                   6 CON + INSULT 32/442   31   58   1 34.8
    BIG LAKE OUTCASTS 81/410                    HOUSE JHEREG 35/426
    BIG LAKE SOLUTION 81/439                    I'M NOT EGGBERT 20/421

                                  WARRIOR SPOTLIGHT

                                    Dark Stoicism

The giant sword cut a furrow into the dirt. The night's light reflected from a few 
patches on its slowly rusting blade, which rose out through an upturned mouth. The 
ricasso head stretched past a crossguard of outstretched hands. The stylized fighter 
handle stood on a pommel skull. Two beefy hands grasped the figure's body. The sword 
was massive, like the warrior holding it, called Stoic. The sword was sleek and 
battle-worn, the warrior was bloated and uncertain. Towering though he was, even under 
plates of armor, fat rolls peeked out. One might wonder if the cook decided to go to 
war while the soldiers stayed in the kitchen.

Stoic looked back. His manager, memory, had been there just a moment ago, but the tree 
line had misted over, obscuring the entrance. He shrugged under the weight of the 
armor and looked through his helmet. The moonlight was bright on a clearing in the 
forest. All was deadly quiet, night mist roiling. His sollrets clunking through patchy 
grass occasionally broke the silence. It would be serene, but he could feel eyes 
everywhere and the promise of death. This was not a quiet forest and certainly not the 
boisterous and sandy arena he normally fought in. This was the Dark Arena, final 
resting spot of the failed gladiator. 

                                        * * *

"I can do better. I can! Please!" Stoic pleaded but memory was unmoved. "My decision 
is final. You don't have the desire to live a life of war. You have not grown into the 
gladiator name I gave you." Stoic was on his knees, begging, searching memory's 
unseeing eyes for hope. Memory's mouth tightened as he let out an almost imperceptible 
sigh. He pulled the hood of his tight black cloak over his head, turned, and drifted 
away. 

"Wyvern, please. Surely you can save me?" The trainer put a hand on his shoulder. With 
Stoic on his knees, he and the diminutive trainer were eye to eye. An immortal warrior 
with many years and many deaths behind her, she did not harbor his fear of the 
unknown. "Today's fight is over. Tomorrow we will train for the next." She locked eyes 
with him, passing on some of her inner resolve. "Come," she bade, as she led him from 
the infirmary back to their training hall.

                                        * * * 

A biting pain seared through an exposed flap of skin on his stomach. His mind had 
wandered away from the fight. His opponent, a Dark Arena champion, had entered 
silently. An elf stood before him, two feet shorter, but standing tall and towering 
above Stoic by confidence and bearing if not physical height. He might have been a 
glimmering angel, moonbeams dancing on exquisite silver mail. The elf brought his 
needle-thin sword up, hilt to face, blade skyward, in honorable warrior salute. He was 
sure he had won, and everyone knew it. He had time to honor the walking dead. 

                                        * * * 

Old Wyvern snaked a short spear under his guard, stopping just short of cutting. She 
always used her deadly spear, even in training, such was her skill and control. He had 
a greatsword, blunted for training, but massive. "I can barely move it. How can I 
train or fight if it's too heavy?" He felt a familiar and painful whack from the blunt 
end of Wyvern's spear. "Don't blame the sword. Desire victory and the sword will 
move." She struck again and he moved to the side, not moving the sword so much as 
standing it in the path of the attack. The parry was unorthodox but successful. 
"That'll do. Now strike!"

                                        * * * 

Stoic tried to recall his training as the fight continued. It wasn't working. He was 
bleeding profusely. He fell back on his reserves of strength and willpower. Slash, 
cut, smash... the elf was striking every weak spot in his armor, inflicting damage at 
will. Circle, stab, circle, slash, circle, cut. Stoic had been on the ground twice 
before struggling to his feet, stumbling and throwing up defenses with little success. 
He felt frustrated and clumsy but kept defending. Maybe the attacks were coming more 
slowly...

                                        * * * 

The arena crowd was restless, only moderately attentive to the morning's rookie 
warriors. The sand worked its way between his toes. He was just a boy. His parents did 
not love their son so much as an arena bounty. Stoic was scared and slow and the man 
in front of him wished him harm. And harm he did. Stoic cowered behind his shield, 
without even a weapon. "It's better this way. Rely on your hands. I want to see what 
you can do," memory had said. Stoic was bruised and bleeding. His opponent was more 
tired than injured, exhausted, really. Under a slowly diminishing rain of blows, Stoic 
heard calls from his teammates. "Now strike!" They were yelling frantically. He peered 
over his shield to see his opponent, sweating, breathing heavily, grip loosening on 
his sword. The attacking gladiator overextended above his head, ready to deliver 
another hacking, unopposed blow. Stoic roared upward to his full height, at the same 
time sending his shield through the surprised gladiator's face. Blood spattered, he 
flipped once and landed face down with a thud, sword flying end over end to land ten 
feet away. The crowd gasped for a moment then roared. His team roared. He looked to 
see memory, gazing forward blindly as always, but clearly smiling at him.

                                        * * * 

Back in the night mist, he was tired and hurt. After a long fight, minutes under this 
barrage. It must happen soon. Stoic knew he would die. But he wasn't dead yet. He saw 
the elf circling, waiting for another attack. He saw the moonlight and the trees. He 
felt the watching eyes. He felt memory and old Wyvern and his team. He knew they could 
see. He felt his opponents and all the gladiators in him for this moment. He felt his 
parents, who only saw in him a mouth to feed. He saw the high elf, still glistening, 
now with sweat -- still looking down on Stoic -- looking down not with haughty 
indignation as before, but the desperation of a man trying to chop down a stone tower 
and just realizing his error. Stoic saw not confidence but desperation. For the first 
time, resignation gave way to fury. "Strike Now," he heard in his mind.

The elf leapt forward, blade flashing. Stoic spun to his right, pulling the massive 
blade in his wake. The elf and his blade shot through the spot Stoic had been, then 
turned back in disbelief at the unexpected life in his easy quarry. "Strike Now," 
Stoic thought, as he continued his spin, continued his fury, pulling the blade full 
circle, letting out a roar that called all the judging eyes to witness.

The blade felt warm in his hand. He struggled to catch his breath. The arc of the 
blade had pulled him another half circle away from his opponent. He looked back at the 
elf, ready for the next attack. The elf's body stood, head lying on its shoulder, neck 
detached entirely where the blade had hewn through. The head's eyes were still open, 
judging differently now, askew. Immortal these Dark Arena champions were, and 
immortality makes death an odd thing. Stoic fell to his knees, sobbing. The fight was 
over. And it might never end. 

                                          -- memory

                             REPORT FROM WITHIN THE TOWER

Hello there!

We saw thirteen fights, two from challenges, no deaths, and a new Champion of the Horn 
today.

DERAFF (35-4777) (30-35-2,195) of HOUSE JHEREG challenged HARD KNOCKS (42-4555) (72-
60-0,196) of COLOR ME SUAVE.  DERAFF was devastated by HARD KNOCKS in a 1 minute 
mismatched Challenge fight.  Hard Knocks is the top Aimed Blow in Chrysalis.

MANAGING UP (32-6819) (20-20-0,88) of CON + INSULT challenged MR RIGHT HANDED (72-
6876) (44-73-2,100) of BASH BROS TIRES.  MANAGING UP handily defeated MR RIGHT HANDED 
in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge match.  Mr Right Handed is, as usual, this arena's 
leading (and only) Parry-Strike.

MOD COD (55-2638) (328-205-5,260) of RHYME TYME fought SYE THE BEARDED (81-801) (53-
68-3,215) of BIG LAKE OUTCASTS.  MOD COD was vanquished by SYE THE BEARDED in a 1 
minute mismatched Title brawl.  So the Bearded one, in addition to being top Striker, 
is now the Champion of the Horn.  Mod Cod is the overall popularity leader.

CHATROOMMATE (18-10034) (83-56-0,224) of CENTER FOR OLDS fought BURM WOLFSNARL (81-
113) (68-58-0,205) of BIG LAKE OUTCASTS.  CHATROOMMATE overpowered BURM WOLFSNARL in a 
crowd pleasing 3 minute one-sided fight.  The Roommate is top Parry-Lungeand this 
turn's favorite while Mr. Wolfsnarl is our leading Total Parry.

JEDI YETI (18-10860) (36-35-2,184) of CENTER FOR OLDS fought QUICK (81-2926) (36-31-
2,164) of BIG LAKE SOLUTION.  JEDI YETI lost to QUICK in a crowd pleasing 1 minute 
fight.  Quick is top Parry-Riposte.

BALDING GRAY (42-5022) (31-41-0,189) of COLOR ME SUAVE fought GOJIRO (107-31) (0-0-
0,220).  BALDING GRAY was overpowered by GOJIRO in a popular 1 minute mismatched 
brawl.

TANTRUM YOGA (42-4563) (74-59-3,210) of COLOR ME SUAVE fought RIRORNI COOK (107-24) 
(0-0-0,181).  TANTRUM YOGA handily defeated RIRORNI COOK in an action packed 1 minute 
uneven melee.  A Rirorni cook is one of our stand-ins?  Weird.

DIRTY DIAPERS (38-5071) (71-85-2,201) of BASH BROS CHILDREN fought THE LEPER'S HAND 
(81-2940) (43-23-0,167) of BIG LAKE SOLUTION.  DIRTY DIAPERS was savagely defeated by 
THE LEPER'S HAND in a 2 minute duel.  Mr. Diapers is top Basher, same as last turn.

INIGO MONTOYA (33-8054) (59-63-3,198) of BIG LAKE BANDITS fought RAYNER (20-182) (48-
66-3,170) of DEADLINE.  INIGO MONTOYA overpowered RAYNER in a popular 2 minute gory 
uneven match.  Of course, Montoya is top Slasher, and this is how Rayner lost his top 
P-R title.

RESTRAINED CONTEMPT (28-5472) (46-41-2,177) of BIG LAKE PURE fought BARNABUS CROW (20-
501) (30-32-3,168) of I'M NOT EGGBERT.  RESTRAINED CONTEMPT was demolished by BARNABUS 
CROW in a 2 minute mismatched match.  Mr. Contempt is our top, and I believe our only, 
Wall of Steel.

SIMPLY AMAZING (28-5693) (17-24-2,56) of BIG LAKE PURE fought MR. BRATWURST (42-5106) 
(24-16-0,59) of COLOR ME SUAVE.  SIMPLY AMAZING was devastated by MR. BRATWURST in a 1 
minute one-sided battle.

FLAT (72-6880) (33-19-2,73) of BASH BROS TIRES fought R.O.U.S. (107-4) (0-0-0,50).  
FLAT bested R.O.U.S. in a 3 minute bout.

I'M POWERLESS (59-2629) (56-108-1,59) of BASHAHOLICS ANON fought $5 PROMINATOR (42-
5107) (22-15-0,63) of COLOR ME SUAVE.  I'M POWERLESS handily defeated $5 PROMINATOR in 
a 1 minute one-sided conflict.  Oh shoot, the Prominator is still the least popular 
fighter here.

I tried some katas yesterday and immediately pulled a hamstring.  I'm not ready to get 
old yet, so I've signed up for a stretching class.  Wish me luck!

Sooo... that's all I can tell you today.  See you in fourteen!

                                          -- Olaf Modeen

CHAMPION OF THE HORN           W   L  K PNTS  TEAM NAME                  CITY           
 SYE THE BEARDED 81-801       54  68  3  287  BIG LAKE OUTCASTS (410)    SHADOWSPIRE

GRAND CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS     W   L  K PNTS  TEAM NAME                  CITY           
 CHATROOMMATE 18-10034        84  56  0  242  CENTER FOR OLDS (364)      TALCAMA
 TANTRUM YOGA 42-4563         75  59  3  216  COLOR ME SUAVE (365)       RODEKI

GRAND CHAMPIONS                W   L  K PNTS  TEAM NAME                  CITY           
 HARD KNOCKS 42-4555          73  60  0  207  COLOR ME SUAVE (365)       RODEKI
 INIGO MONTOYA 33-8054        60  63  3  204  BIG LAKE BANDITS (409)     NIYTYOLE ISLAND
 BURM WOLFSNARL 81-113        68  59  0  198  BIG LAKE OUTCASTS (410)    SHADOWSPIRE
 THE LEPER'S HAND 81-2940     44  23  0  192  BIG LAKE SOLUTION (439)    SHADOWSPIRE
 MOD COD 55-2638             328 206  5  190  RHYME TYME (385)           KHALANI
 DERAFF 35-4777               30  36  2  188  HOUSE JHEREG (426)         MURSKA
 BARNABUS CROW 20-501         31  32  3  187  I'M NOT EGGBERT (421)      SEAM
 DIRTY DIAPERS 38-5071        71  86  2  184  BASH BROS CHILDREN (407)   CLIFFHOME
 BALDING GRAY 42-5022         31  42  0  182  COLOR ME SUAVE (365)       RODEKI

GRAND CHALLENGER ADEPTS        W   L  K PNTS  TEAM NAME                  CITY           
 QUICK 81-2926                37  31  2  180  BIG LAKE SOLUTION (439)    SHADOWSPIRE
 JEDI YETI 18-10860           36  36  2  171  CENTER FOR OLDS (364)      TALCAMA
 RAYNER 20-182                48  67  3  167  DEADLINE (432)             SEAM
 RESTRAINED CONTEMPT 28-5472  46  42  2  162  BIG LAKE PURE (437)        MORYA

GRAND CHALLENGER INITIATES     W   L  K PNTS  TEAM NAME                  CITY           
 MANAGING UP 32-6819          21  20  0  100  CON + INSULT (442)         ARVAT

GRAND INITIATES                W   L  K PNTS  TEAM NAME                  CITY           
 MR RIGHT HANDED 72-6876      44  74  2   84  BASH BROS TIRES (411)      DRAGONHEAD
 I'M POWERLESS 59-2629        57 108  1   75  BASHAHOLICS ANON (375)     ILLIS
 FLAT 72-6880                 34  19  2   75  BASH BROS TIRES (411)      DRAGONHEAD
 MR. BRATWURST 42-5106        25  16  0   69  COLOR ME SUAVE (365)       RODEKI
 $5 PROMINATOR 42-5107        22  16  0   51  COLOR ME SUAVE (365)       RODEKI
 SIMPLY AMAZING 28-5693       17  25  2   49  BIG LAKE PURE (437)        MORYA

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

THE DEAD                   W   L  K TEAM NAME              SLAIN BY                  TURN

                               PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

DERAFF was devastated by HARD KNOCKS in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge fight.
MANAGING UP handily defeated MR RIGHT HANDED in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge match.
MOD COD was vanquished by SYE THE BEARDED in a 1 minute mismatched Title brawl.
CHATROOMMATE overpowered BURM WOLFSNARL in a crowd pleasing 3 minute one-sided fight.
JEDI YETI lost to QUICK in a crowd pleasing 1 minute fight.
BALDING GRAY was overpowered by GOJIRO in a popular 1 minute mismatched brawl.
TANTRUM YOGA handily defeated RIRORNI COOK in a action packed 1 minute uneven melee.
DIRTY DIAPERS was savagely defeated by THE LEPER'S HAND in a 2 minute duel.
INIGO MONTOYA overpowered RAYNER in a popular 2 minute gory uneven match.
RESTRAINED CONTEMPT was demolished by BARNABUS CROW in a 2 minute mismatched match.
SIMPLY AMAZING was devastated by MR. BRATWURST in a 1 minute one-sided battle.
FLAT bested R.O.U.S. in a 3 minute bout.
I'M POWERLESS handily defeated $5 PROMINATOR in a 1 minute one-sided conflict.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK                   5         SLASHING ATTACK    7 -   4 -  0      64  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      4         PARRY-STRIKE       6 -   4 -  1      60  |
|AIMED BLOW                       3         LUNGING ATTACK    23 -  20 -  1      53  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   3         TOTAL PARRY        8 -   7 -  0      53  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    2         BASHING ATTACK    16 -  14 -  1      53  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  2         PARRY-LUNGE       20 -  20 -  0      50  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  1         WALL OF STEEL      5 -   5 -  0      50  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         AIMED BLOW        15 -  15 -  0      50  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      1         STRIKING ATTACK    9 -  11 -  0      45  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    1         PARRY-RIPOSTE      4 -  16 -  0      20  |

Turn 220 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:

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

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
STRIKING ATTACK  SYE THE BEARDED 81-801     54  68  3  287 BIG LAKE OUTCASTS (410)
PARRY-LUNGE      CHATROOMMATE 18-10034      84  56  0  242 CENTER FOR OLDS (364)
AIMED BLOW       HARD KNOCKS 42-4555        73  60  0  207 COLOR ME SUAVE (365)
SLASHING ATTACK  INIGO MONTOYA 33-8054      60  63  3  204 BIG LAKE BANDITS (409)
TOTAL PARRY      BURM WOLFSNARL 81-113      68  59  0  198 BIG LAKE OUTCASTS (410)
LUNGING ATTACK   THE LEPER'S HAND 81-2940   44  23  0  192 BIG LAKE SOLUTION (439)
BASHING ATTACK   DIRTY DIAPERS 38-5071      71  86  2  184 BASH BROS CHILDREN (407)
PARRY-RIPOSTE    QUICK 81-2926              37  31  2  180 BIG LAKE SOLUTION (439)
WALL OF STEEL    RESTRAINED CONTEM 28-5472  46  42  2  162 BIG LAKE PURE (437)
PARRY-STRIKE     MR RIGHT HANDED 72-6876    44  74  2   84 BASH BROS TIRES (411)

The overall popularity leader is MOD COD 55-2638.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was CHATROOMMATE 18-10034.  The ten other most popular fighters were INIGO MONTOYA 
33-8054, THE LEPER'S HAND 81-2940, HARD KNOCKS 42-4555, DIRTY DIAPERS 38-5071, 
BARNABUS CROW 20-501, BURM WOLFSNARL 81-113, TANTRUM YOGA 42-4563, MR. BRATWURST 
42-5106, FLAT 72-6880, and MANAGING UP 32-6819.

The least popular fighter this week was $5 PROMINATOR 42-5107.  The other ten least 
popular fighters were SIMPLY AMAZING 28-5693, MR RIGHT HANDED 72-6876, DERAFF 
35-4777, BALDING GRAY 42-5022, MOD COD 55-2638, I'M POWERLESS 59-2629, RESTRAINED 
CONTEMPT 28-5472, RAYNER 20-182, QUICK 81-2926, and JEDI YETI 18-10860.

Arena (Number)       W  L K  Arena (Number)       W  L K  Arena (Number)       W  L K  
TALCAMA(18)          1  1 0  NIYTYOLE ISLAND(33)  1  0 0  KHALANI(55)          0  1 0  
SEAM(20)             1  1 0  MURSKA(35)           0  1 0  ILLIS(59)            1  0 0  
MORYA(28)            0  2 0  CLIFFHOME(38)        0  1 0  DRAGONHEAD(72)       1  1 0  
ARVAT(32)            1  0 0  RODEKI(42)           3  2 0  SHADOWSPIRE(81)      3  1 0  

TOP WARRIOR OF EACH ARENA     W   L  K PNTS  TEAM NAME                  CITY           
 CHATROOMMATE 18-10034       84  56  0  242  CENTER FOR OLDS (364)      TALCAMA
 BARNABUS CROW 20-501        31  32  3  187  I'M NOT EGGBERT (421)      SEAM
 RESTRAINED CONTEMP 28-5472  46  42  2  162  BIG LAKE PURE (437)        MORYA
 MANAGING UP 32-6819         21  20  0  100  CON + INSULT (442)         ARVAT
 INIGO MONTOYA 33-8054       60  63  3  204  BIG LAKE BANDITS (409)     NIYTYOLE ISLAND
 DERAFF 35-4777              30  36  2  188  HOUSE JHEREG (426)         MURSKA
 DIRTY DIAPERS 38-5071       71  86  2  184  BASH BROS CHILDREN (407)   CLIFFHOME
 TANTRUM YOGA 42-4563        75  59  3  216  COLOR ME SUAVE (365)       RODEKI
 MOD COD 55-2638            328 206  5  190  RHYME TYME (385)           KHALANI
 I'M POWERLESS 59-2629       57 108  1   75  BASHAHOLICS ANON (375)     ILLIS
 MR RIGHT HANDED 72-6876     44  74  2   84  BASH BROS TIRES (411)      DRAGONHEAD
 SYE THE BEARDED 81-801      54  68  3  287  BIG LAKE OUTCASTS (410)    SHADOWSPIRE