:: on the cover of this week's issue is a bloody dual impalement by Siera Red and MidnytBlue, the
final move of their duel on Sunday evening.  Both duelists bleed in the moment of the picture, the
final score not in their eyes yet, only the pain.  Over this is the title DOS TODAY ::

*    *    *

DoS TODAY,  volume 1,  issue 5

Contents:

Letters to the Editor                   page 2
Advert for Gryphonwing             page 3
Editorial                     page 4
Advert for Dark Axe's Cologne      page 5
Report on the Warlord challenges        page 6
Advert for Gloin's Weapon O-rama        page 8
photo spread                       page 8
Advert for Gaijin's HSN            page 9
Guest column by Dare Ltan               page 10
Advert for Chanson's Musical Day Care   page 12
Advert for Dark Axe's lessons      page 13
Advert for Arelia's Trinkets            page 14
Late-breaking news                 page 15

Staff:  Oscar Madison, Editor in chief
          Broadway Dan, Associate Editor
          Hedda Hat, Columnist

*    *    *
page 2

Dear Editor,

    After reading your latest issue, something out of the ordinary you mentioned about Warlords
caught my attention.  I believe your exact quote was "You didn't earn the rank of warlord just so
you could sit back and drink ale did you?"  Now, as you might know, it took me approximately 10
and a half months to reach Warlord, and I have been dueling for well over a year.  So, as you can
see, I worked to achieve my rank.

     After all that work, I do believe Warlords deserve some credit.  After all, it's not as easy as you
might think.

-----Alkron.

Believe me, Alkron, I *know* how hard it is.  However my comment was in fact in reference to
using your hard earned skills as a warlord and actually thinking as opposed to just slapping a
fancy onto every defensive move until you're out.  I am not naming names, nor referring to anyone
in particular when I say this, however I think we are all aware that it has been a rather common
practice.   With the skill required to become a warlord, a skill I freely admit that I lack, you
warlords should be able to handle this change in the fancy rule.  If not... perhaps you weren't as
good as you thought anyway, and you deserve to fall back.  Harsh words perhaps, but that's just
my opinion.  ~Ed.

*    *    *
page 3

 To all the commoners currently tearing their hair out over every duel they fight:

 Yes! We know who you are! We know all about your plight!
 
-Are you tired of losing continually to people who seem to be able to predict you like a Weather
Channel meteorologist?

-Are you tired of watching people use fancy after fancy when you can't seem to get even ONE, no
matter how hard you try?

-Are you tired of getting condescending remarks from Warlords when you ask them for
assistance?

-Do you want to gain skill at the sport that so many people you know and love seem to take for
granted?

We have the solution!

Gryphonwing Dueling Academy!

The newest addition to the Castle Gryphonwing, a practice dojo of immense proportions, will be
erected shortly! Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to study the art of dueling through
intense personal training and Socratic discussion with Warlords and former Overlords such as
Amaltea and PsiMystic!

Join the Gryphonwing Academy today! Classes are presently scheduled for Wednesdays, 9-11
P.M., Eastern Standard Time.

To enroll yourself in Gryphonwing Dueling Academy, you need only send a short Email to
Amaltea, or Suzielle. (Two i's at the end of Suzielle! :> )

Thanks bunches to Suzielle for letting us use her castle!

See you soon!

~Mysticate "Psi" Anjere
~Amaltea thu-Darelir
~Suzielle the Amazon brat!

*    *    *

Belaboring a point...

  The furor over the fancy rule change has not died down over the weekend, in fact it seems to
have reached a greater crescendo.  While I did not want to devote another editorial to this issue, it
seems apparent that some sort of clarity is needed.

  First of all, what is a fancy?  Is it an earned point?  A gift the RDIs bestow upon a dueler for a
job well done?  No.  Perhaps if people were to look at fancies in another light, the current rule
change would make a whole lot more sense.  A commoner can be compared to an apprentice
dueler.  They are not too good, because they have not learned the requisite skill in dueling to win
consistently as yet.  When you win, you rise in ranks.  As a dueler wins, the dueler learns new
skills and becomes a better dueler.  In order to make that greater skill more apparent in a game
such as ours, the creators came up with fancies.  A fancy is a way to determine the skill level of a
dueler.  But a dueler, no matter how skilled should not be able to win when he or she makes the
"wrong move".  If a dueler ducks into a thrust, he was hit.  There's no justification to say that his
duck was fancy and give him a point.  It makes no sense at all.  He unwisely ducked into a thrust,
he fouled up and he should not be awarded a half a point just on principle.  Now with the rule
change, a warlord is still a highly skilled dueler.  With her better skill she has the ability to turn her
opponent's blade back upon them with a better flick of her wrist in a parry.  It is only when the
fancy user misses is the scoring any different.  This is why the Overlord has five fancies to play
with, because the overlord should be the most skilled dueler of the time.

  A perfect example of this disparity and avoided as an example because of the hard feelings of the
Overlord at the time, was the challenge between Falon and Amaltea.  When Falon low cut
Amaltea's lateral parry, she won.  Now does this really make sense in any logical way?  No.  The
new rule is fair to all, commoners to warlords.  No longer will people win on a technicality as
opposed to skill.

  Now in reference to some of the proposed alterations.  Alkron GoldenSword sent out a very
detailed proposition for a thing called a fancy remover.  With it, the duelist would try to decide
when their opponent would be using a fancy and then pop a fancy remover on it, to remove the
offending move.  While this is a well thought-out proposal, and it is an interesting idea, it seems
that it stems more from a magical background than from an actual dueling background. 
Visualizing how this would work between two duelists in the ring is a nightmare for the brain. 
The closest analogy would be "out skilling" your opponent.  I thrust, you circular parry.  Your
parry is fancy, so that you receive the full point, but no, my thrust was better than that and I say
you don't get the full point.  A nightmare.  This would only complicate matters further, and people
would have cause to complain.  And as Ol'ak pointed out, it changes nothing for the hapless
commoner.  Not to even mention the poor swordsman fighting a warlord.  The swordsman has
one fancy to use.  He's thought over his move carefully, and used his fancy in an appropriate spot
only to find that the warlord he's fighting gleefully negated his fancy with one of his many fancy
removers and then proceeds to trounce swordsman with his own plethora of fancies.  Ugly
situation ripe for hurt feelings and more feuding within the ranks.

  As my own reporters have noted, none of the warlords seemed to suffer much under the new
rule, despite a large amount of grousing from nearly all of them.  This reporter caught many
instances of fancies working with their efficiency as always.  Keep giving it a try.  By the end of
the cycle I can imagine most will embrace this change as welcome and fair.

*    *    *

::this page opens onto a full page black and white photo of Dark Axe laying on his back in the
DoS room, an arm propping his head up.  His upper body bare, glistened with water droplets,
covering the entire page, bronze skin gleaming with the reflection of the light.. on the top, in large
bold letters "Duel of Sword's Armor.... a refreshing new fragrance.".. at the bottom of the page is
a flap that when opened reveals a strong whiff of cologne, and a long yellow tab, with instructions
to rub a wrist on the tab and pick up the refreshing fragrance of Armor::

*    *    *

::this page opens with a photo of the aforementioned Dark Axe dueling with Xenograg, the two
duelists trading cuts.  Blood trickles down DarkAxe's temple from Xeno's high cut as blood stains
Xeno's trouser leg above his boot from Ulath's low cut::

  There were two duels for rank this weekend between Siera Red and MidnytBlue and DarkAxe
and Xenograg.  RDI Amal called both duels.

::another photo of Red and Blue's duel shows them in dual high cuts, sparks showering around
them, the audience watching with large eyes::

  Siera Red challenged Blue for the second warlord position, behind only Amaltea in the ranks. 
The duel lasted 10 rounds and was spectacular in the bloodshed.  Two dual impalements splashed
the spectators with blood, making several of the vampires in the audience start drooling for those
most coveted front row seats.

  In a disturbing trend however, the loser whizzed from the ring before Red was even able to
thank her properly or buy her a drink.  Same too with the duel between Dark Axe and Xenograg. 
Dark Axe did not congratulate the winner, nor did Xeno say much of anything but, "you had me
worried," and neither of them thanked Amaltea for calling.  Has honor truly left the duel of
swords?  Or manners?  Is courtesy that difficult or expensive?

  Dark Axe fought Xenograg in an eight round mix of offense and defense.  In the end however,
Xenograg was victorious.

::another photo of Xenograg hugging his wife as SieraRed and GracianaDS talk at a table in the
background::

*    *    *

::a small ad appears on the next page::
Gloin's Weapon-O-rama
 Servicing the greater RhyDIn area for over 146 years
       Sharpening and Cleaning Service
       New and Used Weapons Sales
       Consignments Negotiable
       No job too small
       Specializing in Swords and Axes
       Ask about our exclusive "Tempered Mithril" coating process  

"Shop conveniently located 3 doors south of the Red Dragon Inn"

::under the ad are photos from the weekend duels::

:: a dual impalement collage.  All of the pictures are of dual impalements, different weapons and
different styles.  The photos are of:  Shadowgun and Talldeer, MidnytBlue and Merilsa, 
AceoSwords and Binzo, AceoSwords and KylUpstart, Shadowgun and Wil Ryder, Wil Ryder and
Rand alTan, Shadowrun and Merilsa, AceoSwords and SaharaRose, Merilsa and Kalamere, 
MarcAdamas and Shadowrun singing a duet of Stuck on You, Alkron and Suzielle, MarcAdamas
and Merilsa, Vixxenish and Gray Max, Falire and Fendrick slam into each other, showing that it's
not just the warlords who like the blood, Vixxenish thrusting Merilsa with an algebra book as
Merilsa thrusts her with a slide rule,  Dare Ltan and Shadowrun, Kalamere and SieraRed, and
Dare and Shadowrun again.::

*    *    *

::a photo of an anatomically correct Amaltea Doll in its original package:::
 
                                        COLLECTOR'S ITEMS
                                              Amaltea Dolls
                               Autographed by Amaltea Herself!
                                supplies limited - get yours now! 


                                             *****

:: a photo of Kwameaki holding a beautiful tea-tin, smiling mischievously::

                                                 New!
                 and exclusive at the RhyDin Shopping Network!

Feeling romantic?  Want to impress that certain special someone?  Try
Kwameaki's Pleasure Tea™ ....a gentle and exotic blend of rare herbs
stimulates the pleasure center for a feeling of well being or crazed lust,
depending on your mood.

Stop by and try some now! 

*    *    *

::a photo of Shadowrun and Merilsa mirroring each other, bringing their swords up in sharp
high cuts, making noise and a shower of sparks. (Shadow and Mer with their swords pressed
tightly together at eye-level, and a rain of blue sparks falling from the impact)::  photo credit...  B

GUEST COLUMN:
By Dare Ltan

  The duels this past weekend were rather different.  It was, as most know, the first weekend
where the new fancy rule was checked out.  There was some discussion of this rule during the
duels over the weekend, but that did not stop the normal thing from happening.  I, unlike how I
was once, am not informed enough to list all of the Warlord duels, and I will, for that reason, not
attempt to.  However there is quite a bit going on in the shadows.

  Fandral Kurgan the duelist known to many as Bishop, and Shadowrun, has reached an all time
high with 85 wins over losses (that record from Bishop's own mouth) and has stated concern over
what to do next.  It is not yet known, but so far the Bishop has an awesome record that, despite
his denial, deserves great praise.  (this editor agrees.  The quiet Bishop deserves much respect. 
~Ed.)

  The duels were, in the usual chaotic sense of course, relatively quiet this week.  There was a
sense of "difference" among the duelists and I believe there was much talk of the new fancy rule
which, some people say, change the way of the game and should be left alone.  Will it? Few have
an answer to that as of yet, and I'm certain it will appear again soon. 

  Lately, though I am not sure who has noticed, there has been little "open" conversation
concerning dueling styles.  Is there a reason for this? Are warlords protecting their secrets to
success?  Not since the warlord Stefano DeFortenza, recently departed on a quest for knowledge,
has there been much open talk of strategy during the duels on the weekend. 

  One of the things that has been noticed, though perhaps only to you watching for this, is that, as
of late, the much coveted title of Overlord is not so coveted.  Perhaps it is due to the current
warlord rules (See the DoS folder, I believe it is posted there an effect of the WL rankings) No
longer are there many who chance to set their sights upon the title, only a select few.. but perhaps
that is the way it should be?

  Speaking of the title of Overlord, Vixxenish still waits amidst her two week grace period, and
the time when Valmion shall battle her for that title has not yet, too my knowledge as of the
writing of this been set... something to watch for.

  On a different note: an observation about Warlords.  There was a time, which many of us
remember, when the warlords were a select few of such skill and grace that very few stood a
chance against them... That has not yet changed, except now they are a select more than a few.
Thirty-some warlords grace the standings at present, perhaps more, very few of them with records
that promise to go downward soon.  It is amazing the number of skilled duelists that have grown,
and there are doubtless yet more to come, but what is certainly big in everybody's mind is this:
How will these warlords (a rank, I might add, that is only outnumbered by commoner and
swordsman) react to the new rule changes?  How many will object?  That remains to be seen.

*    *    *

::the page opens to a full page photo of a large, relaxed-looking crowd in a nightclub, watching a
band onstage perform.::

  "Music is Magic Nightclub, where music is a way of life.  Whether you simply want a night out
on the town, or whether you need to unwind (or celebrate) after an evening of dueling, stop by,
meet our friendly staff, and see performers that are world-famous both in RhyDin and back on
Earth.

  Also announcing a Saturday afternoon special -- Children's afternoon. Got a tough duel lined up
for Saturday night?  Need a little peace from the children, or just some practice time.  Bring your
child to the Music is Magic Children's Afternoon, where your child(ren) will be able not only to
listen to their favorites, but also perform them.  Refreshments to be provided. Donations go
towards a RhyDin halfway house for orphans, runaways, and those in trouble.

  The Music is Magic Nightclub is located in the From the Dragons Mouth message board."

*    *    *

:: the page opens to a full length photo of Dark Axe, posed in a dueling stance, wearing a light
leather dueling vest, leather trousers, his long tawny hair held in the back by a single silver clasp. 
A large sign is seen in the background, it reads 'Come today! Join Ulath's dueling lessons Inc.! 
Drop a note to Ulath for details!' ::

*    *    *

 opens onto a large colorful ad with salve tins surrounding several swords and other dueling
paraphernalia::
  ARELIA'S TRINKETS  your one stop shopping location.  Carrying all your dueling needs from
swords to clothing to banners with your favorite dueler's name printed on them.  Also the
exclusive supplier of Potion's Miracle Salve.  Fresh from the lass herself.  As always... mention the
Duel of anything and get 25% off your purchase.  So drop by Arelia's today.
  Located conveniently next to the Red Dragon Inn for your convenience.

*    *    *

Latebreaking News

Lord Cedric a dueling regular will be alas leaving AOL.  The duelers will certainly miss him.


Disclaimer:

DoS Today is an independently produced magazine in no way affiliated with the official DOS
game, the Free Form Gaming Forum or AOL.  The information herein should not be considered
the views of AOL or its staff.
Thank you.


Happy Dueling  :)