DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER

Date   : 10/22/1999    Duedate: 11/04/1999

MAZGOURRAH ARENA

DM-77    TURN-158

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

SIDAHS
RESCUE (48)
(77-176) [9-0-1,108]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

BAHRAMAD                       SIDAHS
SAND DANCERS (188)             RESCUE (48)
(77-2466) [13-17-0,81]         (77-176) [9-0-1,108]

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

BAHRAMAD                       BLASTING AGENT
SAND DANCERS (188)             HAZ MAT (368)
(77-2466) [13-17-0,81]         (77-2585) [3-0-0,25]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

HAZ MAT (368)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. HEROES (344)                47
2. RESCUE (48)                 22      HEROES (344)
3. HAZ MAT (368)               20      Unchartered Team
4. SAND DANCERS (188)           4
5. CARNAGE (303)                3      RESCUE (48)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1*RESCUE (48)               19   4  2 82.6   1/ 3*HAZ MAT (368)             9  2 1
 2/ 4*HAZ MAT (368)             14  12  2 53.8   2/ 2*RESCUE (48)               8  4 0
 3/ 2 HEROES (344)              95  89  4 51.6   3/ 1 SAND DANCERS (188)        6  7 0
 4/ 3 SAND DANCERS (188)       374 376 11 49.9   4/ 5 HEROES (344)              3  8 0
 5/ 5 DARBS (37)               334 350 20 48.8   5/ 4 CARNAGE (303)             2  9 1
 6/ 6 CARNAGE (303)             19  37  3 33.9   6/ 6 DARBS (37)                0  3 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[ Lirith Kai #21 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +

Jade Mountain:

     He wasn't sure exactly how it had come about, but Tree found himself sitting 
across a table at the expensive Garden of the Twelve Perfections from the exotic young 
woman, listening to her make outrageous statements.
     "This humble one," she said in her soft musical voice, "was an insignificant 
witness to the horrifying events of days past.  Though I shrink from putting my 
unimportant self forward in a most vulgar and unseemly manner, yet the inexorable 
progression of events has made this necessary.  For I cannot hear--though being so 
lowly a person, what has reached your illustrious ears may have escaped mine?--that 
any steps have been taken to correct the flagrant abuses of his position by our 
otherwise no doubt estimable Arenamaster."
     Tree could feel himself starting to sweat.  He knew that there had been some kind 
of trouble over the way in which Arenamaster Kendar had become the head of his family 
and ruler of this district and that the Lord Governor of the province was still 
watching him closely--why else would there be so many temple knights just `passing 
through' Jade Mountain?  It wasn't like the town was on the road to anywhere.  But he 
didn't know any details, and he didn't want to know any details.  Lord Kendar was 
scary.  Lorana said he didn't used to be, but that the death of his wife of a few 
months had turned him cold.  Tree didn't care what had done it, he just didn't want 
anything to do with the man.  The young woman was watching him expectantly.  What the 
heck was he supposed to say?  "Er... ah, it was a long time ago," he offered somewhat 
lamely.  "Years, miss...?"
     "In number, three years," she agreed.  "Yet even one so ignorant as myself is 
aware that some dark deeds are so grave that they do not fade with time."  Till now, 
she had kept her eyes modestly lowered, but now she looked up, meeting his gaze 
squarely.  "Murder," she said.
     The word hung in the air between them.
                       ***     *****     ***     *****     ***
     Tree wiped the sweat from his face.  "That's what she said," he reported.  "I 
didn't know what to say to her, Lorana.  I mean, well, she's right about murder not 
fading, but...  Well, the Arenamaster?  I mean, he's such a, well, such a stickler for 
honor and stuff..."  He looked at his manager hopefully.  "And the Lord Governor 
wouldn't have just let it slide, would he?"
     "I heard Chiana had come back to Jade Mountain," Lorana growled.  "It didn't take 
her long to start making trouble."
     "You know that young woman?"
     "Lao-Mei Chiana," Lorana said.  "She's a graduate of this team.  And she was here 
during the... trouble.  I suppose she might even have seen something, have some 
evidence, that wasn't brought out when the Lord Governor demanded an accounting."
     "But the case is settled!  Isn't it?"
     Lorana shook her head grimly.  "Suspended, not settled.  For lack of conclusive 
evidence.  Kendar could still lose his head for it, if she has new evidence.  Did she 
give you any hint as to what she might know, or claim to know, that would compel a 
reopening of the case?"
     Tree shook his head.  "No, she didn't say...  Oh, but she gave me this."  He 
fished a small paper packet out of his sash and handed it to his manager.
     Lorana opened it, revealing a square of sheer linen embroidered with a delicate 
flowering vine and the daochan, the symbol for a long and fruitful life.  She touched 
one of the tiny flowers, a fanciful thing that never grew on any living plant.  "This 
was--is Eponine's," she whispered.  "Kendar's wife...  What did she say about this?" 
Lorana demanded.
     "Just to give it to you," Tree said.  "That there was some kind of story in it 
that she could tell to you, if you wanted to hear it."

Mazgourrah:

     "I think," the slim stranger said crisply, "that you will find that Emir Dahalb 
desires to speak with me.  Tell him it is Suleiran of Alunzar."
     Though it was not at all the Done Thing to intrude on the Emir of Mazgourrah 
until he had broken his fast, there was something about this visitor, despite his 
modest height and plain dress, which impressed the servant and made him feel uneasy.  
He felt that this Suleiran was, indeed, someone who should speak with the Emir, 
however, it was not his task to break a stated rule.  He opened his mouth to indicate 
this to the stranger and suggest a return at a more seemly hour.
     "What's afoot, Sabid?"
     The servant turned with relief to see the Emir's half-sister, the Lady Kemala.  
It was not, of course, the Done Thing for a woman to speak so familiarly with a 
servant, even an upper servant, but the Lady Kemala, having had an Adantri mother, was 
notably informal in her ways, and nothing anybody could say to her had ever succeeded 
in changing this.  "This gentleman," Sabid said, "desires to speak with your brother 
the Emir at once.  As you know, there are orders of long standing that no one shall--"
     "Yes, I know," the young woman agreed.  "He's got to have some privacy, after 
all.  What's your name?" she asked the stranger.
     "Suleiran of Alunzar," the visitor repeated.
     One of Kemala's perfectly arched eyebrows rose.  "I'll tell him," she said.  
"Wait here--I'll only be a few minutes."
     She returned as quickly as promised and said that the Emir would see Suleiran, 
and that she would take him in.  The servant slipped away gratefully.
                       ***     *****     ***     *****     ***
     Emir Dahalb was at breakfast on a terrace, toying with the remains of a hearty 
meal and frowning at an espaliered apricot tree.  He glanced around when the Alunzarn 
came out onto the terrace and gestured at a low cushioned bench.  "I have been 
expecting a visit from you," he said, "ever since you took Zin Ahdahal.  Or to be more 
precise, a visit from some agent of yours bearing an ultimatim."
     "Now, how could you think me so unneighborly?" Suleiran asked, assuming a 
patently false air of injured innocence.
     "Quite easily, by watching your conquest of my neighbors," Dahalb answered dryly.
     "And yet, I have come, not with the ultimatim of a conqueror, but with an offer 
of alliance," the visitor said.  "We two now rule the two greatest emirates in 
northern Ratan.  United, we would be greater than our neighbors to the south--Onour 
Amoun, for instance."
     "An alliance!  This is a new line for you, Suleiran.  Don't forget, I have 
watched your rise to power rather closely.  Just how, exactly, would you visualize 
such a joining of states?"
     "As equal partners, of course," the Alunzarn said smoothly.  "But with this 
proviso: that I should marry your half-sister Kemala or one of your daughters, and 
that woman be named your heir, so that in time what is joined by treaty might be bound 
more securely into one nation, the beginning of the rebirth of the Empire of Ratan."
     Dahalb nodded.  "I thought it might be something like that.  Well, this is not a 
decision I feel prepared to make on the instant--"
     "Meaning, you are moved to resist, but aware that with my army at Zin Ahdahal, I 
could be at your throat in three or four days.  I give you that long--four days, let 
us say--to consider the matter.  And then I will come--not alone--to demand your 
answer."
                       ***     *****     ***     *****     ***
     An hour later, the gladiator Sayal was riding for the border of Lirith Kai with a 
request for military aid, and Arenamaster Khazar was drafting a request for 
gladiatorial volunteers to act as guerillas and delay the arrival of the Alunzarn 
army.

Lin Tirian:

     "What do you think?" Wistaria asked.
     Talice Rrostarr wiped the rain from her face and squinted into the dripping 
aisles of the forest.  "I think this is a rotten time to be out here," she muttered.  
"What am I supposed to be looking for, anyway?"
     "Foxes.  See them?"
     "Oh.  Yeah.  So?"  The worshipper of Lloth glanced at her companion suddenly.  
"Not that old tale!"
     "It isn't an old tale," Wistaria said.  "Why, one of my own teammates is supposed 
to be a... you know.  One of them."
     "A were-fox?" Talice asked.  "That'd be some fox--I may not be a highly educated 
magician, but I know something about how things work, and she'd have to change into a 
woman-sized fox.  Rather obvious, don't you think?  And if any of those foxes are 
were-foxes, well, they'd have to be as small as a child if they changed, wouldn't 
they?"
     "I suppose," Wistaria said, shrugging slightly.  She kept her attention on the 
three foxes in the little clearing ahead of them.  "It's what they're doing that 
worries me."
     "They're just--"  Talice stiffened.  "By the Eyes of Lloth!  I never knew foxes 
to dig up treasure chests!"  She half stood to get a better look.  "Unless one of them 
changes to a human form, they aren't going to be able to get that open," she added.  
"Maybe we should... offer to help!"

                                      SPY REPORT

     Greetings, Warriors of MAZGOURRAH.  Allow this humble servant Novgorodny Vir to 
give you a respite from the fights in the form of this Spyreport.  Nothing is certain 
in MAZGOURRAH, with changing loyalties, changing Duelmasters.  Write this down:  new 
top team--HAZ MAT.  RESCUE posted a nice gain, to come in 2nd.  Everybody loves a 
winner...  HEROES had cause to celebrate, after LEROY BROWN got 15 points by beating 
TAROK.  CXYAN certainly had a baffled expression on his face, after losing to SHADIS 
and losing 7 points in the process!  SIDAHS successfully staved off a grab for the 
roses by BAHRAMAD of SAND DANCERS.  Does MAZGOURRAH have no one talented enough to 
dethrone him?  Word has it one team in MAZGOURRAH is taking speech lessons to try to 
bore their opponent to death.  I'll bet it works.   
     So much to report, so little time!  To quell some nasty rumors, the guys in 
CARNAGE are not carrying any incurable diseases.  No need to avoid 'em.  The warriors 
of CARNAGE found their efforts at combat frustrated as RESCUE apparently had more 
important things to do than fight.  If challenges were horses, TAROK could open up a 
fast food joint!   
     Is there life after death?  Pragmatics (and warriors) know there is death after 
life!  Citizens of MAZGOURRAH, be sure to settle your debts with YANNI of DARBS.  
She's relocating to the Dark Arena and has other things on hers mind!  Ask not for 
whom the sword slashes; it slashes for thee.   
     Do not think spyreporting in MAZGOURRAH is the highlight of my life.  My fingers 
tire and I fear my incessant prattling may cause unfair judgement upon my impeccable 
character.  Like a mixed metaphor, and an overtaxed simile, I now bid MAZGOURRAH 
farewell-- Novgorodny Vir  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SIDAHS 176                    9   0  1   108       RESCUE (48)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BAHRAMAD 2466                13  17  0    81       SAND DANCERS (188)
 SHADIS 174                    7   1  1    72       RESCUE (48)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 TAROK 2437                   15  20  0    65       SAND DANCERS (188)
 LEROY BROWN 2521              5   1  0    62       HEROES (344)
 F'TIMA 2487                  14  11  1    57       SAND DANCERS (188)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CXYAN 2553                    4   3  0    49       HAZ MAT (368)
 GIDEON 2578                   4   3  1    39       HAZ MAT (368)
 SAYAL 2520                    9  10  0    37       SAND DANCERS (188)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-CORROSIVE 2550                1   0  1    32       HAZ MAT (368)
 VANA 1860                     6   7  1    26       CARNAGE (303)
 BLASTING AGENT 2585           3   0  0    25       HAZ MAT (368)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 SENTHAR 1858                  5   8  0    23       CARNAGE (303)
 TOVENNA 1856                  3  10  1    20       CARNAGE (303)
 RADIOACTIVE 2599              2   0  0    18       HAZ MAT (368)
 P.R. 177                      2   1  0    16       RESCUE (48)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 P.S 173                       1   2  0     7       RESCUE (48)

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

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?
THE QUICK HAND 1       0  1 0   1                   TOVENNA 1856          158 NONE    
KILLER 1857            3  9 1 CARNAGE 303           GIDEON 2578           157         
YANNI 2356            21 29 0 DARBS 37              YOUNG MOUNTAIN 21     158 NONE    
MUSTANG SALLY 2598     0  2 0 HEROES 344            STEEL VIZIER 22       158 NONE    
RED BARON 2597         0  2 0 HEROES 344            ARENAMASTER KHAZAR 23 158 NONE    
BILL HICKOCK 2600      0  1 0 HEROES 344            STONESHAKER 18        158 NONE    
WYATT EARP 2601        0  1 0 HEROES 344            NIGHTWALKER 20        158 NONE    

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Carnage -- Sorry about Killer.  First 6 KD, left arm kill that I can remember. -- 
Jester, Mgr. Haz Mat
P.S.  Who's managing your team?

Mustang Sally -- That fight was like looking in a mirror, except I don't have breasts. 
-- Radioactive
P.S.  Not that I was looking....

Heroes -- Thanks a lot, I've had that song stuck in my head for weeks now. -- Jester 
(Ride, Sally, ride...)

Yanni -- Congratulations.  Hope your favorites help.  You need it. -- Cxyan, the best 
PL in Mazgourrah

Cxyan -- When he leaves, you're the only PL in Mazgourrah...best or worst. -- Jester

Wow!  I went to staple the newsletter together the way I always do, and there was only 
one page!  No personals from anybody else, no spotlight, no Duelmaster's column.  Is 
anybody AWAKE out there? -- Tualatin

Cxyan -- I can't say your name, but I could kiss it to you.  How about it, handsome? 
-- F'tima

Leroy Brown -- So where's "heroic" in that?  The overcoming great odds bit, and the 
character above reproach stuff, and so on? -- Sayal

Shardis -- It was my pleasure and honor to rescue you from the dangers of an 
undefeated record. -- Bahramad

11 October 1999
All -- Talon Volksie has finally entered the 90's on the verge of the millenium.  I 
have e-mail.  You may email me at TalonVolksie@aol.com. -- Talon V.

     Everyone now knows that DM-33 is one of the "Fiercest & Best Free Blades Arena" 
around.  The Hammer and others have done wonderful things for that arena.  With 50 or 
so teams, DM-33 is fun, challenging and a joy to play in.  However, I am not here to 
talk about DM-33.  I want to talk to you about DM-43, Veastian.
     DM-43 is not a large arena, we have only 8 teams here right now.  It is small, 
and not the greatest arena around...yet.  We need YOU to help make this a great 
arena.  Since it's so small, this is your chance to get in on the ground floor and 
become a cornerstone of this arena.  Not many have this chance.  DM-33 is great, but 
it is crowded.  Here in DM-43 you will not be one of the many, you will be one of the 
best.  For all of you Noblish Island managers, this is your chance to transfer your 
team to an arena where you will have an immediate impact on the game.  This is an 
arena where you can continue to hone your skills and be a contender for the 
Duelmastership.  Veteran managers...do you want to make Duelmasters the best it can 
be?  Help newbies and make an arena of your own?
     This is a wonderful chance for everyone.  For the newer players to make a 
serious impact on an arena and veteran players to be a "founder" of an arena.  
Managers like Don John, Mutt Lange, The Rake and myself want you to help make DM-43 
the best arena out there.  We don't want just "anyone" to come here, we want managers 
who want to play hard and have fun.  If that is you, then come to DM-43, Veastian.
     If anyone has any questions at all, please diplo me and I will reply as soon as 
possible.  Now is your chance, now is the time.  DM-43. -- Apollo Maximillious, mgr. 
Cult of the Dragon (339), DM-43

All -- By Seefe's name, am I tired of looking at such team names as Inyo Eye and 
Eggnog Warriors.  Please, in the name of all that is decent on the face of Ghea, give 
your teams and fighters APPROPRIATE names!!  I know it can be challenging and 
demanding to make up TRULY GOOD names like Boneshredders and Aerie Fire, but please, 
don't call your guys something that causes me to dirge in disgust!!  It really hurts 
your (and my) gaming experience when my warriors have to stand against someone named 
"Underwear Gnomes".  After all, I can come up with ten names like Bust-a-Plumber and 
Chococroc in a single minute, but why don't I do it? -- Shadowfire, mgr. of 
Dragonslayers (636) in Solven (DM 22)

16 October 1999
To anyone starting a new team -- No good sales pitch or gimmicks (yet).  If you're 
adding a team, please put it in Jurine, DM-61.  We only have one unchartered team and 
eight teams total.  So why come to Jurine?  Simply put; WE ARE BEGGING YOU!!! -- 
Wardancer, mgr. War Party

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

YANNI was barely slain by YOUNG MOUNTAIN in a 2 minute bloody Dark Arena fight.
MUSTANG SALLY was slaughtered by STEEL VIZIER in a 1 minute Dark Arena battle.
RED BARON was easily killed by ARENAMASTER KHAZAR in a 1 minute Dark Arena match.
BILL HICKOCK was savagely slain by STONESHAKER in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena duel.
WYATT EARP was butchered by NIGHTWALKER in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
CXYAN was overpowered by SHADIS in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge match.
LEROY BROWN viciously subdued TAROK in a popular 1 minute bloody Challenge duel.
GIDEON overpowered VANA in a 2 minute gory mismatched Challenge brawl.
BLASTING AGENT viciously subdued SENTHAR in a 8 minute Challenge melee.
SIDAHS overpowered BAHRAMAD in a 1 minute uneven Title duel.
SAYAL was luckily beaten by THE BEAST MAN in a 1 minute fight.
F'TIMA overpowered HUMBLE STRANGER in a 1 minute one-sided match.
TOVENNA delivered the death blow upon THE QUICK HAND in a 5 minute conflict.
P.R. demolished DESERT WARRIOR in a 1 minute one-sided brawl.
P.S was overcome by RADIOACTIVE in a action packed 1 minute gory novice's conflict.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK                   7         LUNGING ATTACK    27 -  16 -   0     63  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    4         SLASHING ATTACK   11 -   7 -   2     61  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     3         TOTAL PARRY        3 -   2 -   0     60  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   3         BASHING ATTACK    22 -  15 -   1     59  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      2         WALL OF STEEL     11 -   8 -   0     58  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  1         PARRY-RIPOSTE     13 -  10 -   1     57  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    1         STRIKING ATTACK    7 -   8 -   0     47  |
|AIMED BLOW                       0         PARRY-LUNGE       10 -  12 -   0     45  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  0         PARRY-STRIKE       8 -  16 -   2     33  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      0         AIMED BLOW         0 -   0 -   0      0  |

Turn 158 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      3 -  1     PARRY-STRIKE       1 -  2         3  LUNGING ATTACK 
LUNGING ATTACK     4 -  3     BASHING ATTACK     1 -  2         2  BASHING ATTACK 
                              AIMED BLOW         0 -  0         1  STRIKING ATTACK
                              PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  2         1  PARRY-LUNGE    
                              SLASHING ATTACK    0 -  0         1  PARRY-RIPOSTE  
                              STRIKING ATTACK    0 -  1         1  WALL OF STEEL  
                              TOTAL PARRY        0 -  0         1  SLASHING ATTACK
                              WALL OF STEEL      0 -  1         1  PARRY-STRIKE   

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
LUNGING ATTACK   SIDAHS 176                  9   0  1  108 RESCUE (48)
BASHING ATTACK   SHADIS 174                  7   1  1   72 RESCUE (48)
PARRY-LUNGE      CXYAN 2553                  4   3  0   49 HAZ MAT (368)
PARRY-RIPOSTE    GIDEON 2578                 4   3  1   39 HAZ MAT (368)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is BAHRAMAD 2466.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was BLASTING AGENT 2585.  The ten other most popular fighters were GIDEON 2578, 
RADIOACTIVE 2599, SHADIS 174, LEROY BROWN 2521, SIDAHS 176, SAYAL 2520, BILL HICKOCK 
2600, TAROK 2437, F'TIMA 2487, and P.R. 177.

The least popular fighter this week was SENTHAR 1858.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were P.S 173, TOVENNA 1856, BAHRAMAD 2466, VANA 1860, CXYAN 2553, WYATT EARP 
2601, RED BARON 2597, MUSTANG SALLY 2598, P.R. 177, and F'TIMA 2487.

The following warriors have traveled to ADVANCED DUELMASTERS after fighting this turn:

YANNI (77-2356) DARBS (37)