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DUELMASTERS NEWSLETTER
Date : 05/08/2000 Duedate: 05/20/2000
MORDANT ARENA
DM-1 TURN-391
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
MR. TRICK
STAKE THEM VAMPIRES! (496)
(1-6756) [10-5-1,117]
Chartered Recognition Leader Unchartered Recognition Leader
MR. TRICK THE ITALIAN STALLION
STAKE THEM VAMPIRES! (496) ITALIAN LOVERS (400)
(1-6756) [10-5-1,117] (1-5814) [7-2-0,81]
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
HOBAG SNOWBIRD DRIVER
LEGENDS OF STEELE (371) HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121)
(1-6684) [16-13-3,75] (1-6730) [6-26-0,49]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
HAWKS (466)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. HAWKS (466) 42
2. HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121) 23STAKE THEM VAMPIRES! (496)
3. VIDEO RANGERS (209) 20 Unchartered Team
4. STAKE THEM VAMPIRES! (496) 9
5. ITALIAN LOVERS (400) 7 ITALIAN LOVERS (400)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 0*ITALIAN LOVERS (400) 7 2 0 77.8 1/ 2 HAWKS (466) 8 1 0
2/ 2 STAKE THEM VAMPIRE (496) 14 6 1 70.0 2/ 4 VIDEO RANGERS (209) 7 7 1
3- 1 EVEN BLIND PIGS (424) 9 4 1 69.2 3- 1 CARE LESS BEARS (267) 6 4 1
4- 3 BLACK JUNTA (295) 43 20 1 68.3 4/ 6 HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121) 6 9 0
5- 4 FANTASIA (272) 38 19 0 66.7 5/ 7 STAKE THEM VAMPIRE (496) 3 0 0
6/ 5 HAWKS (466) 111 87 8 56.1 6- 5 BLACK JUNTA (295) 3 1 0
7- 6 CARE LESS BEARS (267) 541 456 30 54.3 7/ 3 LEGENDS OF STEELE (371) 3 7 1
8/ 7 LEGENDS OF STEELE (371) 106 102 8 51.0 8/12 APOCOLIPS II (399) 2 7 0
9- 8*EASTERN HORDE (494) 5 5 0 50.0 9/ 0*ITALIAN LOVERS (400) 1 0 0
10/ 9 VIDEO RANGERS (209) 71 89 4 44.4 10-10 FANTASIA (272) 1 1 0
11/10 HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121) 143 218 3 39.6 11- 8*EASTERN HORDE (494) 1 1 0
12-11*CLONES (366) 4 10 0 28.6 12-11*CLONES (366) 1 3 0
13/12 APOCOLIPS II (399) 15 53 5 22.1 13- 9 EVEN BLIND PIGS (424) 1 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
Lord Dark stared into the seeing pool and watched the crown council. He
chuckled silently to himself as he listened to their minor bickering. So, they
search for the source of the chaos contamination. Even so, half of them don't even
care to find it. Chrysanth may need watching; the Chelafan wasn't a threat. Mereven
seemed to be a joke. That left Holonvarnes. What of the Mordant leader, or of
Beltic? He knew nothing of this Beltic. Perhaps he should send Kaylesk. The
immortal assassin and magus had earned his place long ago when the two had first met
in the chaos realm. It would all come in a matter of time. Just let the hunter keep
his distance, that being from the other plane who searched for them. Let the Arious
keep searching in vain.
ELSEWHERE:
Moonbeam slept in their makeshift camp. A voice whispered into her mind, "Who
are you?" Her dream-self found itself in a starry glade. A unicorn stood before
her; this had to be a dream.
"My name is Moonbeam," she answered. Beside the unicorn materialized a second
form. It was a young looking man of elven features; he wore blue mage robes with
concentric patterns along the outer edges. The man looked at her; his eyes were the
silver of the moon above. They seemed to look into her very soul. She couldn't look
away, couldn't lie to his questions. He went over every aspect of the events that
had happened to her from capture to escape. Then he drew a longsword of glowing
beauty. It burned with a life all its own, a living energy of magic.
"One last question: do you serve Lord Dark?" His eyes flamed with an unknown
hatred that was almost unholy in its nature.
Her lips went dry with the realization this wasn't a normal dream! The words
came as a whisper. "No, I serve only myself."
The figure smiled at her. "I am Arious, the Multi-Mage. You will remember
this. I give you this mage-forged blade. 'Solar Wind.' You will see me in the
waking world, but only when I choose."
She woke with the start of an object setting down upon her chest. It was night,
near the guarded fire. The sword in her dream was on her, its hilt encrusted with
fire rubies, and blue diamonds. Its length was sheathed in a shark skin scabbard.
As is the dream was still there, the voice whispered on, "Remember...."
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Delarquan Federation #38 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Ratan:
The young Ratani, Sarid, acted as guide, leading them north through the hills at
the base of the World's Edge. The cliff was so high that even here, a few miles from
the foot, it loomed on their eastern horizon like a wall.
"How did something like that come to be?" Zues asked idly. "Hundreds of miles
long, at least a couple miles high...."
"Something the Folstrom did, maybe," Doomslug suggested. He glanced toward it,
shifted his waterbag from one shoulder to the other, and shrugged. "They hung out in
what's now the Twisted Lands, at the north end of the cliff."
"How'd you know that?" Moonbeam asked. She was feeling her own waterbag and
finding it nearly empty, a disturbing thought in this dry land. Anything to take her
mind off her thirst was welcome.
The ex-gladiator shrugged. "That they broke the land and made that cliff? I
don't know it; that's just a guess. They MIGHT have done, is all."
"Well, since it's been there for hundreds and hundreds of years, I don't suppose
it matters how it was made," Columbine said. "It'd be more useful to be thinking of
where we're going and what we're going to do when we get there. And what we're going
to do for supplies until then, too--our packs are about empty."
Sarid studied the brown hills between them and the cliff and pointed to one
valley that looked no different from the others. "I think there's a village up that
channel. We can get water there and maybe buy some supplies...." His hand went to
his sash, and he fingered the few coins he could feel through the fabric. "Prices
may be high, though."
"We don't have money to throw around," Zues said, "but we're not flat broke,
either." He turned his horse's head toward the indicated valley. "What're the
chances of being able to buy horses for you three, too?"
"Poor," the Ratani said. "Very poor. Donkeys, maybe...."
"Ick. Oh, well, no point in plucking that goose till we catch it," Moonbeam
said, sighing. "But I hope they have horses...and that we can afford them!" She
glanced at Zues inquiringly, but he didn't respond.
*** ***** *** ***** ***
The valley was not promising looking to people who had come from Alastari.
There was a streambed down the middle of it, but it was completely dry, the rounded
rocks there covered with a whitish sediment as hard as cement. The path along the
bank was simply a paler thread of dusty ground where the passage of feet had pushed
aside the pebbles that were common elsewhere. There were bushes, but only as dry
sticks with a few gray, leathery leaves, and here and there wisps of dry grass. It
looked like the withered mummy of a land that hadn't seen rain in centuries.
Moonbeam wiped her face, although the sweat had mostly evaporated immediately,
and said, "If there ever was a village up here, it must be dead. Dead and dried up
and blown away."
"This wind's enough to blow anything away! Looks like it hasn't rained here
since the Chaos War," Doomslug agreed. "It's dry around Jhelum, but nothing like
this!"
"It isn't the season for rains," Sarid protested. "When the time comes, this
stream will flow man-deep for days! And the village--Tadlor--it has cisterns, and
even a well."
"If you say so," Zues replied dubiously. He and Columbine had dismounted to
lead their horses, and they were as hot and dust-grimed as the other three. He was
worried about the horses; they weren't used to this heat, and they needed water.
Soon. Despite Sarid's assurances, he found it hard to believe there was water ahead;
nothing seemed to indicate it. The valley wound around hills that got higher and
rockier, but no greener. Nor was there any indication that the path had been used
recently, but the constant dry wind that sifted dust into their tracks as soon as
they made them would account for that. Zues hoped that Sarid hadn't picked the wrong
valley; the ones on either side had looked much the same.
*** ***** *** ***** ***
It was almost a shock to round a corner of rock and find themselves on the edge
of a bustling village. The houses were as drab as the hills behind them, but the
people made up for that, being dressed in strong-colored garments, mostly red and
dark blue and black, and so voluminous and all-covering that it made Moonbeam hotter
just to look at them. Most of them seemed to be involved in loading packs onto a
group of twenty donkeys. It wasn't as noisy as the gladiators expected; the donkeys
seemed to be either asleep, or voiceless.
Sarid accosted a white-bearded man and entered into brisk conversation with him
in Ratani. Zeus made a mental note that they should all learn to speak Ratani as
quickly as possible.
Presently Sarid said, "They will let us fill our waterbags at their well for
free, and sell us supplies if you have gold."
"We have," Zeus said. "But we're not over-burdened with it. Get us the best
price you can. Where is this packtrain going?"
More incomprehensible conversation. "They are taking supplies to one of
Alunzar's armies, to trade for slaves."
Moonbeam looked around the village curiously. It didn't look totally
impoverished, but she couldn't see any use for slaves here, and she said so.
"Oh, they'll use them in the fields--farther up the valley. You can't see the
fields from here."
"Would they hire us to guard their packtrain?" Zeus asked suddenly.
Sarid looked startled at the suggestion but turned to translate it to the
patriarch. After a moment, he turned back and said, "No, they won't hire us, but if
we guard the packtrain, they'll give us our supplies for free."
"It's a deal."
"Why do you want to get tied up with this packtrain?" Moonbeam demanded.
"It's going where we want to go and will give us entry to Alunzar's camp without
us having to think of a cover story," Zeus explained. "We'll just be some wandering
sellswords looking for work. There must be quite a few of them around the fringes of
this little local war."
Delarq Tor:
The wizard Barragan glanced at his two gladiatorial `escorts' appreciatively.
Each in her own way, Glacier and Lucretia Borgia were very attractive women. "This
isn't the prime mission yet," he warned them. "First, we've got to go over to Trocar
and talk to Raigavor personally. There's too much interference to get clear
communication over the magic crystals." He shook his head and sighed. "The sooner
we've got this mess cleaned up, the happier every wizard in Alastari will be! Once
Raigavor tells us where to look, we'll want...oh, half a dozen gladiators, I would
think. So put your mind to coming up with some more names."
Glacier shrugged. "I suppose there MIGHT be some volunteers," she admitted.
"Especially with a personal invitation and all, but...."
"The stable is THAT way," Lucretia said suddenly, pointing along a street to the
left. Why aren't we going there? I have no intention of WALKING to Trocar!"
"Certainly not," Barragan agreed. "But I thought it would be simpler to take
the Shuttle. We won't have to worry about the care and feeding of the horses that
way." As he spoke of horses, it became obvious that he viewed those indispensable
riding animals with grave distrust. "Normally, we would use magical transport, of
course--a portal, or at least a carpet. That's MUCH better than relying on animals--
"
"So why don't we?" Lucretia asked. "Or can't you do that kind of thing?" Her
tone suggested that any magician who 'couldn't do that kind of thing' was a pretty
poor example of the type.
"It's this confounded Contamination," Barragan fumed, leading the way into the
office of the Alastarian Shuttle Company. "Big spells are totally unreliable until
we get that cleaned up, which is why we're going to clean it up ourselves instead of
waiting for the Greywand to get around to it. Three tickets for Trocar," he said to
the clerk.
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Delarquan Federation #39 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
Ratan:
The pack train didn't seem to need guarding. The hills were as empty of life as
they'd been when the gladiators had arrived at Tadlor, but Zues wasn't about to draw
this to the attention of their employers. Getting a donkey-load of supplies for
free, as well as cover into the camp of Alunzar was worth a little pointless
activity. And Sarid said it would be about eight days' journey, so they MIGHT come
on...almost anything. If there was a war going on, it seemed likely that there was a
little free-lance raiding around the edges, for one thing. And if they were taking
supplies to one side, it was possible that the other side would try to stop them. He
nodded to himself. Yes, maybe there WAS a need for guards, after all....
He glanced ahead at the other gladiators along the line of the pack animals.
(He'd taken the rear position himself, as being the most at risk.) Columbine he
knew, of course; she wasn't spectacularly good, but she was reliable, and that was
more important than flash. Doomslug and Moonbeam were strangers. They seemed sound.
Doomslug was a gloomy type, but he didn't go around spreading depression, so that
could be tolerated. And Moonbeam was quite a little pocket-Venus, enough to brighten
any journey. How they'd perform in battle was anybody's guess, but--
A yell came from the front of the party. Doomslug was signaling that they'd met
an ambush, and Columbine was riding forward to help him. According to the strategy
they'd worked out in advance, Moonbeam and Zues kept their places in case the attack
on the front of the column was a feint. Zues glanced over his shoulder at the empty
trail behind them, where nothing stirred but wind and dust, then studied the barren
hills on either side. Nothing so far.
*** ***** *** ***** ***
At the front of the little caravan, Doomslug was too busy to think about
possible attacks on the rear. He dodged an oncoming attacker, steering his horse
(provided by the villagers) with his knees and throwing up his sword to block an
overhand sword cut. And was shocked when the outlaw's sword sheared right through
his blade! It seemed likely that he was going to die, but he didn't intend to go
easily, and he wheeled his horse farther, into a collision with that of the attacker,
and grappled with the man hand to hand.
The attacker was lean and ragged, but strong and desperate. When the horses
tried nervously to separate, he continued to hang on to Doomslug and was dragged from
his saddle. The sudden increase in weight, unevenly distributed, brought the
gladiator's horse to its knees. Doomslug kicked free and went down rolling over and
over in tangle with the man, skidding down a stony slope and over the lip of a small
dry streambed.
By luck and a desperate twist, Doomslug managed to be on top when they landed.
The attacker, underneath, went limp. Doomslug half-lifted the body and slammed it
down again, hearing a satisfying crunch as the man's head hit a rock. He
appropriated the man's sword and turned to climb back up to the trail.
The streambank was too steep here, thwarting his efforts. He could hear the
battle above, curiously muffled by the intervening ridge of earth; but it was
impossible to tell who was winning.
Well, he would just have to find another place to climb out. Upstream or down?
Downstream, the ravine got deeper and steeper, finally entering a small canyon at the
limit of his line of sight. Upstream, then.
He turned and headed that way.
*** ***** *** ***** ***
They'd gotten the caravan safely past the narrow hill-valleys and brought it to
a stop at Zues's demand.
"I want to know who attacked us," the gladiator said, "and I want to try to find
Doomslug."
"He's dead," Sarid said, translating the caravan-master's conviction.
"Then we'll bury him properly. If these people are determined to go on, they'll
do it without us," Moonbeam stated.
Sarid translated this. It was hard to tell what the other villagers thought,
but the leader, the old patriarch, was nodding. "He says it does you credit, and the
donkeys won't mind a rest anyway. So long as no more than two hours is taken by the
search for his body."
Onour Amoun:
The merchant Horremed stared at his accusers out of red-rimmed eyes. "They were
just travelers," he repeated. "Sellswords, I took them to be. With the Rirorni so
eager this year, who would not welcome the company of armed men on the road?" He
could feel blood running down his arms from the rope around his wrists, and he was
sure that his arms were near to be wrenched from their sockets. If only these devils
would believe him!
"Quite plausible," the man in the silk mask murmured. He nodded and lifted the
whip again, coiling the lash in his hand. "How unfortunate that we cannot believe
you. These 'sellswords' of whom you speak so casually are, in fact, gladiators,
agents of the accursed Delarquan Crown Council sent to spy out our weaknesses. This
is true, and you know it is true, do you not? You knew when you took the foreigners
into your company, guided them across the plains to High Onour."
"I knew they were Delarquans, how could I not?" Horremed gasped.
"Gladiators...I guessed that. But there was never any hint that they were spies--"
"You are lying to us," the masked man said calmly. The lash flicked out, and
Horremed screamed as another line of blood opened across his body. "They are spies
on the Emirate of Onour Amoun and on Master of Alunzar. Confess this, and we will
see the end of your torment." Again the whip cracked and the merchant screamed.
"All right, all right!" he screamed. "They were spies! I confess it!"
"Much better," the interrogator purred. "And what was their goal? What did
they ask about, oh traitorous merchant?"
"About the slave trade, especially the trade in Adantri slaves!"
"And you told them...what?"
"Just...just that the slaves were sold by Alunzar."
"Ah." The masked man nodded at one of his companions. "That is enough, then.
Make an end of this business."
The other man stepped forward and cut the merchant's throat.
The masked man retreated from the rapidly spreading pool of blood and said,
"Throw his body on the rubbish heap. A traitor deserves no better."
*** ***** *** ***** ***
"You were quite correct, Naggal, they were gladiators like the two who escaped
you in High Onour." The man stripped off his silk mask and dropped it on the table,
inspected his clothing, and carefully wiped away a couple of spots of blood.
"Temporarily escaped," the slaver snarled. "Those two, and that turncoat Sarid,
will not evade my searches for long, and when I have them in my hands again, I shall
make such an example of them as shall be remembered for a hundred years."
"Those three you may have, and welcome," the interrogator said. "But the other
two, the ones brought by that fool of a merchant, must go--alive, mind you, and
little-damaged--to my master. He has plans for them."
On the road to Trocar:
"Why are we stopping?" Barragan demanded, leaning out of the coach window.
"Toll station," the driver of the Shuttle answered curtly. "These days, nobody
goes through Jhans without paying toll on both sides."
"Toll! Infamous--whatever is Ethylburr thinking of? It is explicitly stated in
the laws of the Federation that the public transit shall be unimpeded. By any member
nation, for any reason," he added, just to make the position entirely clear. "This
demanding of toll is unlawful. I command you to keep going."
"I wouldn't get far with a couple or six arrows in me," the driver countered,
"so I ain't going on till I've paid whatever they're asking today."
"Arrows?" Barragan frowned formidably and pushed open the door of the coach,
leaning out farther to look around. There were, indeed, half a dozen armed and
armored men sitting on horses in the middle of the road ahead.
Before he could say anything, one of the men rode forward a couple of steps.
"Ten bashari for the coach to pass," he said in a gravelly voice, "and another for
each passenger."
"Ten!" the driver yelped. "The comp'ny didn't give nothing like that much!"
"Pay, turn back, or die," the man said indifferently. "It's all one to us."
"This is the Shuttle, man! It's got to go through!"
"Then pay up."
Cursing, the driver began to haul on the reins, backing the coach. "The
Shuttle's subsidized by the Gladiatorial Commission!" he yelled, "and you haven't
heard the end of this!"
"Let 'em squawk," the man said. "If they don't make a deal with us, the Shuttle
won't move anywhere south of Delarq Tor."
*** ***** *** ***** ***
As soon as they were out of sight of the toll-collectors, Barragan called to the
driver to stop.
The man did so reluctantly. "If you think you're going to talk me into going
back," he began, "I'm here to tell you that--"
"I'm not such a fool as to expect an ox to do the work of a battle-golem," the
mage said crossly. "We'll get out here."
"Walk to Trocar?" Glacier demanded, stunned.
"No way!" Lucretia agreed.
"We've no choice," Barragan said.
+ ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ The Devil's Horsemen #4 ]H[ + ---:--- + ]H[ +
On the Plains:
The smith, Goltovag, was unusually muscular for a Rirorni. Partly that was due
to his profession, but Campfire suspected that the man had some Orcish blood, too.
He was also notably silent and didn't seem to feel any particular pleasure in having
an excellent Dwarven smith as his aide; Goltovag treated Campfire as an apprentice,
and an unpromising one, at that. He heard no gossip about a possible renewal of the
Rirorni war with Alastari, even though he spoke (but concealed) the main northern
Rirorni dialect and could understand more of what was said by visitors to the forge
than anyone realized.
It was true that he was called on to mend a lot of spearheads, make arrowheads,
and handle the bellows while Goltovag worked on swords--the Rirorni smith wouldn't
trust him--HIM, Campfire!--to work on a sword blade. But that didn't prove anything,
except maybe that the members of this tribe, the Saarugedai, were hard on their
weapons. It didn't prove that they were preparing for war. If it weren't for the
nightly visits of Tavoleda, a particularly lissome and eager young woman, Campfire
would have thrown over the whole project as useless.
But there was Tavoleda to look forward to, so....
He wondered what had become of his companions.
*** ***** *** ***** ***
Lynn was knee-deep in the stream that flowed past this campsite, beating clothes
with a rock and hating every minute of it. She hadn't worked and bled her way
through the arena at Delarq Tor to immortality to become a laundry-maid to a bunch of
barbarians!
"More soap, Delarquan!"
A thong flicked out and stung Lynn's bare arm, but she didn't look up. She
didn't have to. The voice and nasty temper of Tavoleda, wife of the Ka-Khan
Taalgerd, was all too familiar. Tavoleda had conceived it as her right or duty to
keep an eye on the foreign woman, and the eye in question was an extremely critical
one. Lynn scooped more of the lye soap out of its leather bucket and smeared it onto
the heavy cloth, then picked up the stone again, imagining that it was the Rirorni
woman's face she was pounding.
Someone gripped Lynn's braid and jerked her upright. She whirled. Diplomacy or
no diplomacy, she didn't intend to take this from that hussy--
It wasn't Tavoleda. Lynn knew the woman's name from hearing her addressed:
Bringesei, but knew nothing else about her. "It is time for you to make yourself
useful, foreigner."
Lynn glanced from her hands, reddened by the harsh soap and long immersion in
the water, to the half-cleaned garment. "Make myself useful? What do you call
this?"
"One of Tavo's petty tricks," Bringesei answered calmly. "Come with me."
Lynn hesitated, then shrugged. Almost anything would be better than endless
laundry. She followed the Rirorni woman to a tent in a small grove on the other side
of the stream from the main encampment, admiring Bringesei's unusual clothing. Most
of the Rirorni women wore full heavy skirts over one or more petticoats, full-sleeved
blouses, and vests of embroidered felt; their abundant jewelry was gold and silver
and turquoise, massive and heavy. But Bringesei was attired in a garment of flame-
colored silk slit to the hip on one side and a barbaric but somehow appropriate
necklace of amber beads and ivory fangs.
Another woman was waiting in the tent; Lynn knew her by name, also: Drukoda,
wife of one of the khans. Drukoda eyed Lynn critically and said, "She'll do, I
suppose. She must. The red hair will help." To the gladiator, she said, "Disrobe."
"WHAT!?!" Lynn stared in shock. Of all the indignities she had endured here in
the name of Delarquan diplomacy, this one took the prize!
"You heard," Drukoda snapped. "Take your clothes off, slave, and be quick about
it."
"I'm not a slave, I'm a free woman, a citizen of--"
"You forced yourself into our community, and you will take the consequences. I
say you are a slave, foreign woman, and so you are. The clothes--OFF!"
Bringesei suddenly gripped the gladiator's neck from behind. Lynn twisted to
throw her off and barely felt the prick of a needle...but her limbs seemed to
dissolve into uselessness, and if the Rirorni woman hadn't kept hold of her, she
would have fallen. Lynn remained fully conscious, inwardly raging but unable to
move, while the two women stripped her and laid her out on the floor. As
unemotionally as though they were dealing with a lifeless doll, they washed her and
anointed her with perfumed oils, fastened items of jewelry to her ears, around her
neck, arms, ankles, even around her waist! and then propped her up against a wicker
backrest.
Drukoda stood back and studied her critically again.
"She'll do," the woman repeated. "At least.... You're sure the spell will work on a
foreigner?"
"She's human," Bringesei said, "it'll work. By this time tomorrow, the
Saarugedai will need a new ka-khan. Getting the job for Maanghed, that's your
problem. You'd better leave now. The next part isn't something to be seen by anyone
outside the cult."
Rithakar:
Candyacid picked a small serai called The Flying Goat, mostly because it was on
the edge of the Foreigners' Quarter and thus would be easier to leave undetected.
She wasn't sure how they were going to get into the city once they sneaked out of the
serai, but hoped that something would turn up.
Raveln had surprised the gladiators with his willingness to accept less-than-
the-best accommodations. The Tricoran just shrugged and sat down at the table in the
common room (shiny with old grease, so that he was careful not to lean on it) and
entered into a discussion of trade conditions with a merchant who already present.
Not a Rirorni, Candyacid noted, this man had golden skin and was dressed in an
exceedingly foreign style. He looked a little like the Illisni, but more exotic, and
his accent was unfamiliar. At least this meant that foreigners were not being killed
out of hand.
The merchant introduced himself as Tuvash of Imbaba and sympathized with
Raveln's desire to sacrifice in the temple of Maelind. "Very efficacious for, ahem,
little problems of, ah fertility, I believe," he said, winking. "And other
things...."
"So I was told," Raveln agreed. "That is why I have made this long and arduous
quest. You can imagine how distressing it is for me to find that few foreigners are
being allowed into the city now, and then only to go to the market or the palace."
"Yes, it will complicate things for you," Tuvash agreed. "However, for a small
compensation--it will be a risk for me, you understand, and might cost me trading
concession! For a small compensation, I will get you--only, not your lovely escorts-
-" he paused to leer at Candyacid, "into the city when I go as usual tomorrow to the
market. And I will furnish you with directions to find the temple quarter. More
than that, I cannot do, and it would be unfit that I did. It is YOUR quest, after
all."
Candyacid distrusted the oily little merchant and willed Raveln to refuse, but
he accepted eagerly and agreed without argument to the price Tuvash demanded. She
had to restrain an urge to hit him. Maybe it was something in the Tricoran character
that they actually LIKED to deal with suspicious characters! Well, even if Tuvash
was trying to bar them from entering the city, she and Renae had contracted to guard
Raveln, and they would do so. One way or another, they would get in. Besides, she
wanted to do a little looking around on her own.
Listening to Tuvash's description of the city layout and the location of the
temple quarter, Candyacid began to wonder if she could get in there tonight.
*** ***** *** ***** ***
"The secret stair is where I remembered it," Gryzash said. His irritated glance
at LeMa$e suggested that the manager had doubted him out loud. "It was an emergency
exit from the palace in the days before the Chaos War, and it may be somewhat
damaged, but it still offers our best chance to enter."
"Impossible to follow in the dark," LeMa$e said flatly. "We wouldn't dare to
show a light, and there'd be no way to see the bad spots in advance. In the dark,
it's a deathtrap." His challenging look at Gryzash indicated that this argument had
been going on for some time.
"Delay is equally fatal," the Overlord of Sibikhas snarled.
"He's right about the dangers of delay," Ultraist said quickly. "We can't stay
hidden here indefinitely--there are hunters, shepherds, and woodcutters on these
hills, and sooner or later, one of them will spot us and give the alarm."
"In the dark--"
"How about if we're in position to start down at dawn?" Ultraist suggested. "As
the trail gets more dangerous, we'll have more light. Unless we'll be too exposed
once daylight comes?" He looked at Gryzash inquiringly.
The Overlord shrugged. "On the trail as it was, no. It will take us an hour to
reach the beginning from here, and dawn is six hours away. I shall sleep."
* }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *
---===DELARQUAN REGIONAL NEWS===---
Duelmasters
-----------
DM 1 MORDANT (turn 390): BLACK BRAVADO of BLACK JUNTA (Neon Necromancer, mgr.)
DM 2 NIANIA (turn 276): RAVEN of SANCTUARY (Moriarty, mgr.)
DM 3 OSKSI (turn 395): OTIS of FRAT PARTY BLOWOUT (Anarchist, mgr.)
DM 4 JHELUM (turn 392): DARKNESS of LIGHTS OUT (Nighty-Night, mgr.)
DM 5 KALTOS (turn 391): ANGELIC of THE SHADOWLORDS (? mgr.)
DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 394): BRADEN of THE LADY'S LIST (Milady, mgr.)
DM 7 BONSUR (turn 392): MYMID EL NAIMIS of THE DANGER DOGS (Maddog, mgr.)
DM 10 KOLACT (turn 386): SIR PENTINE of SIR AGLIO (Sultan, mgr.)
DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 378): WHIRLING TERROR of THUNDR + LITENING (Doc Steele, mgr.)
DM 21 SUNSET (turn 377): FEE D'HIVER of SAUVEZ NOS AMES (Ankos, mgr.)
DM 36 JHANS (turn 351): MOM-IN-LAW of LOTTA JERKS (Jerk of the Day, mgr.)
DM 37 SIBIKHAS (turn 347): IZZARD of MERLIN'S LOT (Merlin, mgr.)
DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 342): MIDNIGHT CALLER of PIRATES (Terrablood, mgr.)
DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 142): OTIS THE DRUNK of LAUGH FACTORY (Shemp, mgr.)
DM 42 RODEKI (turn 328): MUCKER of DELVERS (Harby, mgr.)
DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 277): NACHTRAG of RESURRECTION (Maladictus, mgr.)
DM 54 TROCAR (turn 128): THE ALPHABARON of THE INEXPUNGABLES (The Redeemer, mgr.)
DM 58 DELARQ TOR (turn 237): WARHORSE of CRUSADE (Shadowgate, mgr.)
DM 59 ILLIS (turn 116): RECONCIDERED of THE WILLBURYS 59 (Rascally Rabbit, mgr.)
DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 226): SOULDRAIN of SHADOWMAGIC (Shadowgate, mgr.)
DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 94): BADAZZ of SPACE ACTION 99 (Micky, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 270): STAR SPANGLED SCRAG of ONCE UPON A SCRAG from SOUTH
RIDGE (Scrag, mgr.)
Top Teams
---------
DM 1 MORDANT (turn 390): CARE LESS BEARS (Neon Necromancer, mgr.)
DM 2 NIANIA (turn 276): WILD CARDS (? mgr.)
DM 3 OSKSI (turn 395): FRAT PARTY BLOWOUT (Anarchist, mgr.)
DM 4 JHELUM (turn 392): BLADES OF MIST (Lord Andarus, mgr.)
DM 5 KALTOS (turn 391): SHADOW AND LIGHT (Shadowgate, mgr.)
DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 394): WHAT'S UP DOC (Moriarty, mgr.)
DM 7 BONSUR (turn 392): THE DANGER DOGS (Maddog, mgr.)
DM 10 KOLACT (turn 386): SIR AGLIO (Sultan, mgr.)
DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 378): CENTER FOR OLDS (Suave, mgr.)
DM 21 SUNSET (turn 377): REAL BEER (Crip, mgr.)
DM 36 JHANS (turn 351): ANARKYSTS (Iverclerberns, mgr.)
DM 37 SIBIKHAS (turn 347): MERLIN'S LOT (Merlin, mgr.)
DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 342): GOLDEN OLDIES (DJ, mgr.)
DM 39 XOCHITHLAN (turn 142): LAUGH FACTORY (Shemp, mgr.)
DM 42 RODEKI (turn 328): SAUSAGE DOGS (LHI, mgr.)
DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 277): none
DM 54 TROCAR (turn 128): THE INEXPUNGABLES (The Reedeemer, mgr.)
DM 58 DELARQ TOR (turn 237): LUROCIANS III (The Greek Guy, mgr.)
DM 59 ILLIS (turn 116): SHADOWLAND (DeGotti, mgr.)
DM 62 VALAMANTIS (turn 226): TEAM TEMPEST (Lerch, mgr.)
DM 72 DRAGONHEAD (turn 94): SPACE ACTION 99 (Micky, mgr.)
ADM 104 DARKHOLM (turn 270): AGE OF EMPIRE etc. (Doc Steele, mgr.)
Recent Graduates:
-----------------
DM 1 MORDANT (turn 389): THE NOTHING of FANTASIA (Neon Necromancer, mgr.)
DM 3 OSKSI (turn 394): TYR of AESIR (Buri, mgr.)
DM 4 JHELUM (turn 392): DARKNESS of LIGHTS OUT (Nighty-Night, mgr.
CYCLONE of STORM FRONT (Yukon Cornelius, mgr.)
DM 5 KALTOS (turn 391): ANGELIC of THE SHADOWLORDS (? mgr.)
DM 6 TRANSEL (turn 393): DEMONFANG of DARK PANTHEON (Doc Steele, mgr.)
DM 18 TALCAMA (turn 377): DOC STEELE of ARROGANCE (A-Sop, mgr.)
FIREPLACE of HELL FREEZES OVER (Moriarty, mgr.)
DM 21 SUNSET (turn 376): BRUISE of TEAM GORE (Nick, mgr.)
DM 36 JHANS (turn 351): OUTSIDER of WOLF PACK (Ultraist, mgr.)
BOHICA JOE of 5440 OR FIGHT! (Mordraith, mgr.)
(turn 350): BEANSTALK of PICK ME UPS (Atlas, mgr.)
DM 38 CLIFFHOME (turn 342): AMAZING GRACE of GOLDEN OLDIES (DJ, mgr.)
DM 51 TRICORUS (turn 277): NACHTRAG of RESURRECTION (Maladictus, mgr.)
SPELLBINDER of RESURRECTION (Maladictus, mgr.)
DM 54 TROCAR (turn 127): BRANDON of WE HAPPY FEW (MHC, mgr.)
DM 58 DELARQ TOR (turn 237): HAWK of TRIBAL COUNCIL (Chief Illiniwek, mgr.)
(turn 236): GLACIER of CIRQUE DU MASQUES (Forrest, mgr.)
SPY REPORT
You elder fighters surely remember me. The younger ones may call me Olaf
Modeen. I return to MORDANT once again! Biff! Pow! MORDANT watched with glee as
CARE LESS BEARS got knocked off top spot by HAWKS! Phhbltt! Too much drinking and
too little dodging gave LEGENDS OF STEELE a 0-2-0! I got a good laugh out of it! Up
'n down. Up 'n down. Rankings always change. Up 'n down. I think I'm gonna be...
Well, APOCOLIPS II's 8th moved them up to 1-4-0 place. It seems so recently people
were saying HAWKS was washed up, finished. But 4-1-0 moved them up 1. I guess
they're washed no more... What's with ASANOWAKA? He actually beat LEGENDS OF
STEELE's HOBAG, and walked away with 30 more points from the fight. Laughs were big
at HAWKS while they watched ASANOWAKA clobber HOBAG. She lost 64 points and got
bruised from objects thrown from the stands. What a role model for MORDANT's young
'uns! BLACK BRAVADO becomes Duelmaster, but don't bother to fight no more! I can
barely restrain my enthusiam for STAKE THEM VAMPIRES!'s outstanding member,
Duelmaster MR. TRICK. Advice to fighters with a 1 will--give up fighting!
No matter the time or place, men will always duel. The most avoided team was
CARE LESS BEARS. In my day, no team with a 541-456-30 would scare me off! What's
the problem, VIDEO RANGERS? How well I know the feeling of being the most challenged
warrior, ZALEN! Don't make idle boasts, they may come back to haunt you.
A fighter's lot is filled with strife, revenge, and killing. Some fighters
don't accept this. The best do. Here's some advice: study your opponent, master
many skills, fight dirty.
Who knows what the future holds for a warrior. More fights, there's no doubt.
All work and no play makes Olaf a dull fighter. Work and play no fighter dull Olaf.
Olaffighterwork and no play. I don't want to overstay my welcome...-- Olaf Modeen
DUELMASTER W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
MR. TRICK 6756 SL 10 5 1 117 STAKE THEM VAMPIRES! (496)
CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-BLACK BRAVADO 6562 AB 12 3 0 126 BLACK JUNTA (295)
ASANOWAKA 6783 BA 10 3 1 97 HAWKS (466)
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-VIPER GRUNT 6720 14 17 0 90 LEGENDS OF STEELE (371) [LU-TP]
SALESGUN 6745 WS 13 8 2 89 LEGENDS OF STEELE (371)
-BAPTIST BEAR 6802 9 1 0 89 CARE LESS BEARS (267) [LU-TP]
-MUMPHY CHICK 5487 11 1 0 86 LEGENDS OF STEELE (371) [LU-TP]
THE ITALIAN STALLIO 5814 ST 7 2 0 81 ITALIAN LOVERS (400)
-BACK DOOR BEAR 6760 16 4 0 79 CARE LESS BEARS (267) [LU-TP]
-THE JACK-BANG 6310 PL 17 14 1 78 LEGENDS OF STEELE (371)
HOBAG 6684 LU 16 13 3 75 LEGENDS OF STEELE (371)
-FLAGELLATION BEAR 6727 17 11 0 74 CARE LESS BEARS (267) [LU-TP]
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
KRYTEN 6782 TP 10 3 0 68 HAWKS (466)
CHALLENGER ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-TRUFFLE 6026 9 1 1 65 EVEN BLIND PIGS (424)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
KINDERGARDENER 6790 8 10 0 56 HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121) [BA-PL-PS-SL-ST-WS]
THE BLONDE 6792 PR 10 6 0 52 HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121)
SNOWBIRD DRIVER 6730 6 26 0 49 HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121) [BA-PL-PS-SL-ST-WS]
-BLACKBREAKER 6512 9 7 0 48 BLACK JUNTA (295)
-ZOMBIE 6740 4 3 0 48 EASTERN HORDE (494)
-UNABOMB BEAR 6828 ST 4 0 1 42 CARE LESS BEARS (267)
CHALLENGER INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-FAITH 6754 4 1 0 33 STAKE THEM VAMPIRES! (496)
CAT 6805 4 2 0 29 HAWKS (466) [BA-LU-PS-WS]
-POSTAL BEAR 6829 4 0 0 28 CARE LESS BEARS (267)
AKEBONO 6804 4 2 0 28 HAWKS (466) [BA-LU-PS-WS]
CLEON 6803 4 6 0 28 HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121) [BA-LU-PS-WS]
SANDY 6821 2 6 0 25 HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121) [BA-LU-PS-WS]
ZALEN 5804 4 10 0 24 APOCOLIPS II (399) [BA-LU-PS-WS]
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
ELANDARIA 5806 4 9 1 22 APOCOLIPS II (399) [BA-PL-PS-SL-ST-WS]
VALANN 6833 2 0 0 22 VIDEO RANGERS (209) [BA-LU-PS-WS]
SENNIUN 6835 2 0 0 16 VIDEO RANGERS (209) [BA-LU-PS-WS]
SLEETH 6827 2 3 0 15 VIDEO RANGERS (209) [BA-PL-PS-SL-ST-WS]
-JANE 2 5501 2 0 0 12 CLONES (366)
AZLADON 5906 1 6 1 10 APOCOLIPS II (399) [BA-PL-PS-SL-ST-WS]
ALYSA IRONSBANE 6836 1 1 1 9 VIDEO RANGERS (209) [BA-PL-PS-SL-ST-WS]
SHARON BLADE 5940 1 4 1 8 APOCOLIPS II (399) [BA-PL-PS-SL-ST-WS]
-FRED 2 5500 2 1 0 7 CLONES (366)
-NOT! 6741 1 2 0 5 EASTERN HORDE (494)
ERIC WOLFSBLOOD 6838 0 1 0 3 APOCOLIPS II (399) [BA-PL-PS-SL-ST-WS]
-BOB 1 5448 0 2 0 2 CLONES (366)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
DAVE 2 5499 0 1 0 CLONES 366 ALYSA IRONSBANE 6836 390
KANG 6831 0 1 0 HAWKS 466 STONE GOLEM 571 391 NONE
BARAKASS 6834 1 1 0 VIDEO RANGERS 209 ARENAMASTER KAKAR 568 391 NONE
RAZE 6819 3 3 0 VIDEO RANGERS 209 UNABOMB BEAR 6828 389
PERSONAL ADS
Neon -- Well, braggedy-brag, I'm very proudaya!! I'm getting a better crop in now,
kept getting those 5 WT/WL rollups everybody loves. Only managed to sneak one in for
the tourney though. We'll see how he does against Unabomb Bear this turn. Shades of
the Nothing...?? -- Stik
P.S. Killed by one of Doc's warriors on his last turn?? The shame of it!! Not to
mention the luck! (g)
Clones -- Welcome back to Mordant! That was kind of a rough welcome, wasn't it??
Hope you stick around a while! Is Arious your manager? He neglected to name his
team last turn.... -- Stik and Video Rangers
Apocolips II -- Welcome back to you as well! -- Video Rangers
The Nothing -- You're a very lucky boy, as you probably realize already. -- Nick
P.S. Or else you threw the fight? Anyway, congratulations.
Neon -- Whatever works for you. It won't bother me, regardless. -- Nick, the seldom-
bothered
P.S. Yup, that was the Sandy I had in mind!
Ed. -- Calamine being the name for an aimed blow? -- Nick
Absolutely! What were we talking about, anyway? -- Ed. the disorganized
Arious -- "Slightly evil?" Around here, that's practically one of the good guys!
Welcome back. I am the current manager of Homicidal Maniacs. -- Nick
Blackbreaker -- Lava soap! At least, that's what my teacher uses on me. --
Kindergardener
Truffle -- Ack! A pig on the highway--what do these yokels think they're doing? --
Snowbird
Postal Bear -- I shall PERSONALLY search out enough ostracons to get you barred from
the arena, you would-be tyranicide! -- Cleon, foaming slightly at the mouth
Zalen -- (wink) Us blondes have more fun. -- The Blonde
Sharon Blade -- That'll teach you to ask me questions before caffeine. -- Sandy
All -- Welcome my new warrior, Elric Wolfsblood. May all come to respect him. (Even
me.) -- Arious The Multi-Mage
Arious the Multi-Mage -- Great! If you should happen to want any information on
what's been happening around and about lately, feel free to drop me an email
(Livia@reality.com) or send a diplo to: the Scribe, no arena number necessary
12 April 2000
All -- Are you a down and out convict or ex-con playing this wonderful game of ours?
Then I offer you the opportunity to join an alliance set up just for those of us who
are familiar with captivity. Do you and your team have what it takes to help make
the DOC alliance the greatest collection of teams in all the game? If so, scribe me.
-- Fizban, Criminal Element (379) DM 39, The War Wizards (449) DM 47
Brad Morcombe
EF 363181
PO Box 339
Sparta, GA 31087
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
BARAKASS was butchered by ARENAMASTER KAKAR in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
KANG was butchered by STONE GOLEM in a 2 minute Dark Arena duel.
SLEETH was subdued by ZALEN in a 2 minute Challenge melee.
ELANDARIA was demolished by CLEON in a 1 minute uneven Challenge fight.
SHARON BLADE was devastated by VALANN in a 1 minute one-sided Challenge contest.
SALESGUN was savagely defeated by MR. TRICK in a 2 minute master's Title match.
HOBAG was overpowered by ASANOWAKA in a crowd pleasing 1 minute one-sided struggle.
THE ITALIAN STALLION handily defeated KINDERGARDENER in a 1 minute uneven fight.
KRYTEN viciously subdued SNOWBIRD DRIVER in a popular 5 minute gruesome expert's duel.
THE BLONDE viciously subdued LIEUTENANT WOREL in a popular 2 minute brutal fight.
CAT viciously subdued AZLADON in a popular 2 minute brutal bout.
SANDY subdued ALYSA IRONSBANE in a crowd pleasing 1 minute competition.
AKEBONO devastated CONVICTED THIEF in a 1 minute one-sided battle.
SENNIUN bested ERIC WOLFSBLOOD in a crowd pleasing 4 minute amateur's bout.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK 4 TOTAL PARRY 10 - 5 - 0 67 |
|BASHING ATTACK 4 LUNGING ATTACK 58 - 29 - 3 67 |
|WALL OF STEEL 4 AIMED BLOW 12 - 9 - 0 57 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 4 SLASHING ATTACK 15 - 14 - 2 52 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 2 PARRY-RIPOSTE 5 - 5 - 0 50 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 2 STRIKING ATTACK 16 - 18 - 1 47 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 2 PARRY-STRIKE 3 - 4 - 0 43 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 1 BASHING ATTACK 17 - 24 - 0 41 |
|TOTAL PARRY 1 PARRY-LUNGE 3 - 6 - 1 33 |
|AIMED BLOW 0 WALL OF STEEL 7 - 21 - 0 25 |
Turn 391 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 STRIKING ATTACK 1 - 3 4 LUNGING ATTACK
TOTAL PARRY 1 - 0 AIMED BLOW 0 - 0 1 SLASHING ATTACK
LUNGING ATTACK 3 - 1 PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 2 1 AIMED BLOW
PARRY-STRIKE 1 - 1 1 BASHING ATTACK
SLASHING ATTACK 1 - 1 1 WALL OF STEEL
BASHING ATTACK 2 - 2 1 TOTAL PARRY
WALL OF STEEL 2 - 2 1 STRIKING ATTACK
1 PARRY-LUNGE
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
SLASHING ATTACK MR. TRICK 6756 10 5 1 117 STAKE THEM VAMPIRES! (496)
BASHING ATTACK ASANOWAKA 6783 10 3 1 97 HAWKS (466)
WALL OF STEEL SALESGUN 6745 13 8 2 89 LEGENDS OF STEELE (371)
STRIKING ATTACK THE ITALIAN STALLION 5814 7 2 0 81 ITALIAN LOVERS (400)
LUNGING ATTACK HOBAG 6684 16 13 3 75 LEGENDS OF STEELE (371)
TOTAL PARRY KRYTEN 6782 10 3 0 68 HAWKS (466)
PARRY-RIPOSTE THE BLONDE 6792 10 6 0 52 HOMICIDAL MANIACS (121)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is HOBAG 6684. The most popular warrior this turn was
SNOWBIRD DRIVER 6730. The ten other most popular fighters were MR. TRICK 6756, THE
BLONDE 6792, CAT 6805, ERIC WOLFSBLOOD 6838, KRYTEN 6782, ZALEN 5804, ASANOWAKA 6783,
SLEETH 6827, VALANN 6833, and THE ITALIAN STALLION 5814.
The least popular fighter this week was KINDERGARDENER 6790. The other ten least
popular fighters were ELANDARIA 5806, KANG 6831, BARAKASS 6834, AZLADON 5906, HOBAG
6684, SALESGUN 6745, SHARON BLADE 5940, CLEON 6803, SENNIUN 6835, and AKEBONO 6804.
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