::on the cover this time, Photo: <<Ecore's baron ring goes flying as Athlstan pounds him with a low cut to retain the title of Overlord>> Caption: "Another renegade falls... " At the top of the cover in large print, "DUELING TODAY":: DUELING TODAY Volume 3, Issue 10 Contents: Advert for Red Oaks Stable page 2 Letters to the Editor page 3 Engagement Announcement page 3 Advert for RhyDin Manor Apts. page 4 Plain and Fancies page 5 Advert for Red Orc Brewery page 6 Report from the Arena page 7 Report from Twilight Island page 8 Report from the Outback page 9 Advert for the White Rose page 10 Advert for Garden Day Care page 11 DoF Photospread page 12 Advert for Larana's Love Loft page 13 Advert for Arelia's Trinkets page 14 Staff: Oscar Madison, Founding Editor (DoSEditor) Johanna Gutenbergh, Editor (Gutenbergh) Hedda Hat, Columnist (HeddaHat) Jake Thrash, DoF correspondent (JakeThrash) Devon Goral, Roving Reporter (DevonGoral) R Lupton, Roving Reporter (RLupton) Kyttn, DoF Photographer (Kyttn) * * * page 2 ********** RED OAKS STABLE *********** Full-service stable offering boarding, training, riding lessons Breeding farm with two stallions on-site and access to two others, reasonable stud fees. Breeding for pleasure riding, hunter/jumper, dressage and racing. Horses for sale Located three miles outside the RhyDin city limits on the North Road. For more information, contact Rayn deFallon (RaynDF) at Red Oaks Stables ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ((Business with Red Oaks can be conducted via email or by post in the Red Oaks folder in Red Dragon Innsights)) * * * Page 3 Dear Editor, As an RDI who calls duels, I must take offense with the comments of Merilsa MacDonnly. I have never, ever in my time as an RDI 'fixed' a duel. I have never, ever in my experience as a dueler seen a duel that I thought was questionable. I am offended that someone would make an accusation that we 'fix' duels for experienced contestants. We work very hard to insure that each and every round is called correctly. Do we make mistakes?... Sure. We are only human. But that does not mean that we intentionally falsify results. If you wish to question a call, bring it up to the caller immediately. The caller may have made a mistake. Like I said, we make mistakes just like everybody else. We should be able to correct the mistake right away. But don't beleive that there is some conspiracy against the inexperienced duelers just because a mistake may have been made. I became an RDI so I could share my enthusiasm with others for a sport I love. I would never do anything to upset the trust and friendship that I have earned during my tenure as a caller. I don't know you Merilsa... and obviously, you don't know us either. RDI Ringo - DoF caller Dear Ringo, Thanks so much for your perspective! It is good to hear from some of the folks who love dueling enough to work for the rest of us as callers and record keepers. Keep up the good work! Jo. ~~~~~ Dear Editor- I am writing in response to the two letters regarding Duel of Swords in Volume 3, Issue 9 of Dueling Today. While I no longer hold the position of Duel of Swords Coordinator, I was holding that position whilst the events described in those two letters occured, and have taken it upon myself to respond. The first letter, from Merilsa MacDonnly, spoke of concerns over the veracity of the callers in Duel of Swords. I can proudly assure you that I have never even suspected an RDI of fixing a match for any reason. There have been occasions where excessive caller error has caused irreperable damage to a duel, and in such cases we usually resolved to call the duel a tie. On the other hand, there have been complaints about duelers contacting their opponents about throwing matches. If such allegations are ever substantiated, you can be sure that the dueler will be immediately banned from the sport, and may find themselves in court. Callers are held to a higher standard, and should any such charges ever be substantiated, I will seek the death penalty. We take the accuracy of the sport to be paramount, and I will not accept less. The second letter, from an anonymous dueler, spoke of the problems relating to the recent Warlords' Tournament. As we plan our next Tourney, to be held in August, it is my plan to publish the complete rules ahead of time so that there be no question as to how things will be resolved. I openly welcome any member of the Duel of Swords Community to contact myself or Kalamere (RDI Kal) about any questions/concerns regarding the Duel of Swords. We are the largest sport in the realm, and proud of that distinction. We plan on continuing to keep Duel of Swords' standards high, by taking as much dueler input as they are willing to give. Honour and Glory... Devon Goral Warlord Duel of Swords ~~~~~ ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT Mirsada Selimov of Kingdom Carmignanci would like to announce the engagement of Abygaile Lyanessa Tennyson to Duke Leto Covington of the providence of COV. A Great Hall wedding is being planned. * * * page 4 Advertisement Coming soon... Rhydin Manor luxury apartments! Located just a short hop from the town of Rhydin and only a short commute from Stars End Spaceport! Specializing in homes for the discriminating taste. At Rhydin Manor we can accommodate your needs! On-site architects, engineers and enchanters can create the home of your dreams! Need space? A southern view? Automated kitchen? Rhydin Manor can meet your needs! Affordable! Rhydin Manor has pricing plans for everyone. From the hardworking blacksmith to the affluent trader on the go! We'll work with you to make sure you get the most living quarters for the gold. Rhydin Manor will have the most complete range of facilities anywhere in Rhydin, laundry rooms, pools, indoor racquet ball courts, a coffee shop, even a chapel! The Manor is constructing state of the art communications capability to support even the most technologically advanced tenant. And since the Manor is near the the crossing of three major ley lines, even the most power-hungry of mages will find the Manor to their liking. Spaces are limited, apply now for the quarters of your dreams! Advertisement * * * Page 5 PLAIN AND FANCIES by Hedda Hat ***************************************************** Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea. Henry Fielding 1707-1754 ***************************************************** Dear Readers...it's been so long! And I know you've missed me as I've missed all of you. There *are* a few recent developments in our beloved Rhydin, however, and a few older ones worth mentioning. Former Duel of Magic ArchMage Mike XXVII was seen snuggling in the arena with one young Demmi Heart. And what of Kreshentia - Mike's wife? Well might you ask. I certainly did. In fact, I ran into her at DoM not long after and asked her about her relationship with Mike. She explained that work as Mana's chief healer was keeping her very busy. Later, in Red Star, however, Kresh requested a separation from Mike. Big surprise, eh? He kept pressing for details, suggesting it might be because he works so hard. Kresh, always the lady, refused to explain the obvious and just insisted that she was going home...Any bets on how soon the nubile Ms. Heart shows up arm-in-arm in public with Mr. 27? And we will miss lovely Kresh around Rhydin. Rumor has it that Kay Anders is engaged to some low-level guy in Starfleet. Bets are being taken on whether or not they'll make it to the church. Ms. Anders is not exactly easy to live with, they tell me. At least one prior husband and several live-in loves attest to this. The lady in question was unavailable for comment at time of publication. About a month ago, much fuss was being made about Duel of Swords' Jonalyn's role in the downfall of Auravia. Challenging her good name was Rifkind S. who also asserted that Bellum Sweetflower agreed with her assessment of Jonalyn as a coward who ran from Auravia when it was attacked by SSark's demons. Jonalyn defended herself, claiming to be protecting the heirs of the kingdom by getting them to safety. Also, she attributed the collapse of Auravia to Rifkind's release of one Devaksal, who along with the Loyalist Brotherhood destroyed that sad country. All I can say is that Jona has been around Rhydin and environs for years. Who is this Janie-come-lately who thinks she knows what happened prior to her arrival? I will seek to learn more of this for you, dear readers. And where has Gavilean been lately? What of his engagement to the above-mentioned Jonalyn? Is it on? Or off? I certainly hope it is ON, as Rhydin has not hosted a grand wedding in some time. Several months ago, to the dismay of all fans of Duel of Fists, Shanni Ctn left the arena. Much controversy has swirled around this precipitate departure. My understanding at the time and supported by recent conversations is that she was greatly disappointed by the behavior of Diamond Percival. After winning the Diamond position, he rarely was seen in Duel of Fists, yet the younger fighters might have been inspired and learned from more active participation. When asked about this apparent lack of interest, Percy reportedly responded to the effect that he duels for personal glory, not for the sport. The charming Shannon simply could not sit by and watch the sport she loved be neglected by its champion. And she left in protest and in hopes that it might somehow make a difference. Percy was out of the galaxy at the time of this report and I could not get his response. However, let it be noted that others in Duel of Fists don't seem to care if the Diamond is present frequently or not and felt Shanni's response was too strong. On another note, the speculation about the reason for Shanni's breakup with Stof Anders was confirmed. Stof found another and Shanni did the honorable thing, bowing out. Stof, being a gentleman, refused to comment, but close friends say that he was disappointed in Shanni's unwillingness to make a commitment to him. It's a sad and sorry state when two charming people cannot make a relationship last. Rumor has it that Stof has moved on again....to yet another new flame. The boy has a wandering eye.... SamSpeaks recently became the new ArchMage in Duel of Magic. ((See interview elsewhere in this magazine)). More interestingly, however, he also became a new father.....two children appeared in his life recently, claiming to be his daughter and son from 50 years in the future. Ostensibly, they took a time machine trip back to Rhydin and the machine broke, stranding them in this time. Sam had blood tests done and they prove that the children are his. It's a strange situation...Sam even knows who he'll marry...but he refused to share names with moi. Speaking of Senator Sam...what exactly is the relationship between him and Auralea? He seems eager to cover it up and hide it from the press. On the surface of it, she works down the hall and does "odds and ends for Sam" - but they wink and flutter at each other as if there's much, much more to the relationship than that. Does anyone else find the machinations of Messalina G absolutely fascinating? She of the blue blood seems to behave just like those of us with red.... Lack breaking news has it that Shanni Ctn has attempted suicide. No information yet on motivation for this and I will be sure to fill you in next issue. Stay tuned.... Well, I must be going to a fashion show, dear ones. If you know of any gossip I should know of...drop me a line. My mailbox is always open.... Til next issue! * * * Page 6 Advertisement - Red Orc Brewery Tired of those weak dwarven ales? Fruity elven wines got ya' down? Can't bear the thought ANOTHER bloodwyne? Mug for mug, nothing beats the hearty, rich taste of an orcish ale. And now you too can try out the ales that started a war! From the hearty and exotic Orcish Gold Ale, to the biting Orcish Red Ale, and finally the brutal Orcish Black ale (Warning, Orcish Black not recommended for the weak of stomach, including weenie paladins) Red Orc Brewing has the ale for you! So the next time you are hankering for something with a bite to it, order up an Orcish Black Ale! Guaranteed to knock ya' down! Advertisement - Red Orc Brewery * * * page 7 REPORT FROM THE DUEL OF SWORDS by Johanna Gutenbergh Challenges dominate the horizon of DoS... first the Overlord fought off two challenges to his title, well, actually he only fought off one... Billy Ray served as Atchampion to meet the challenge of the renegade baron WickedDeth. The new baron by virtue of his victory in the warlord tournament opened with a thrust, scoring over the renegade challenger's low cut for first blood. Cautious, though fancy, lateral parries abounded in the second round. Defensive manuvering continued with Billy Ray stop hitting and WickedDeth ducking fancily in round 3. Round 4 brought a return to aggression as the loyal baron again scored with a thrust over the renegade's low cut. Matched high cuts followed in round 5 and Billy Ray scored a defensive point with a fancy side step as WickedDeth parried round and fancy in round 6. With a 3-0 lead, the loyal baron stayed defensive with a fancy circular parry in round 7 while the renegade stop hit. WickedDeth's sole score came in round 8, when his fancy circle parry caught Billy Ray's low cut for a point. Round 9 was all defense, Billy Ray ducking fancily while WickedDeth stop hit yet again. In Round 10, the renegade risked a thrust, and lost a point to the loyalist's fancy side step. Finally, Billy Ray went aggressive again, low cutting as WickedDeth stop hit a third time. Final: Billy Ray Karnafexx defeat WickedDeth 5-1 in 11 rounds and Athlstan retained the title of Overlord. Almost immediately, baron Ecore (previously Ecstacys) changed his alignment to renegade and challenged the Overlord. Although there was much heated debate over whether or not Athlstan would have Billy Ray be champion for another Test of Worthiness, the Overlord met Ecore personally in the center ring for the third defense of his reign. A defense start yielded fancy sidesteps by both duelists, then Ecore scored in the second round with a high cut over Athlstan's fancy circular parry. The Overlord returned the favor in the next round, cutting low and scoring as the renegade challenger attempted a fancy side step. Athlstan then ripped off three more scoring rounds, taking a 4-1 lead by round 6. Fourth: Overlord thrusts, challenger high cuts. Fifth: Overlord cuts low, challenger fancy ducks. Sixth: Overlord ducks fancily, challenger cuts high. Round seven saw paired fancy round parries... the renegade scored with a stop hit as Athlstan thrust in round eight... round nine brought matched low cuts... round ten was all defense with the Overlord ducking fancily and Ecore stop hitting. Finally, Athlstan put an end to the challenge with a low cut reminiscent of round three as Ecore attempted to step away fancily. Final: Athlstan def. Ecore 5-1 in 11 rounds to retain the title. In baronial drama, the challenge of Tarl Cabot to Lord Harvest was postponed... no word on when it will be rescheduled. Wunderkind JOKERJEFF met Baron Daegarth in a challenge match and won a baron's ring: Daegarth LC fSS LC fCP fDS TH LC fDS fSS JOKERJEFF HC fDK HC fSS fCP LC HC fSS LC Two other baronial challenges are pending, apparently Baron Phlag X has asked DUKELETO to challenge him to "bring honor to the ring" that Phlag won by default. Also, it is rumored that Warlord Rlupton is challenging the newest baron, JOKERJEFF. Two barons rings are unclaimed, as WickedDeth retired after his loss to Billy Ray and Ecore surrendered his ring to become a warlord. Look for a warlord tournament soon! * * * page 8 REPORT FROM TWILIGHT ISLAND by Hedda Hat Recently, SamSpeaks defeated Connor McId in two rounds of the Duel of Magic Tourney and became the newest ArchMage. The two mages paid one another extravagant praise after the battle. Connor commented to Sam, "You deserve to be Archmage, you have fought hard to reach this point. You are truly a champion." Sam graciously responded, "Connor has enjoyed the title of Arch Mage far longer than anyone else. It was pure luck that I prevailed this evening." RDI Daniel, who had officiated the match, proclaimed, "Congratulations, Archmage SamSpeaks, and may your reign be long and honorable!" He then raised a banner announcing - SamSpeaks, July 1996 - among the sacred giant redwoods on Twilight Island. This reporter was fortunate to be able to interview Sam the following day. That conversation took place in Sam's spacious government offices and the text follows. HeddaHat: ::dressed in grey and white pinstripe chemise dress, red gloves, red pumps, red sunhat:: SamSpeaks : Hi Hedda! Come on in! ::big smile, eyes twinkling:: Quickly, the conversation centered on the recent arrival of Sam's children from the future. That story is told in Hedda's column, elsewhere in this magazine. The discussion turned to Sam's recent achievement of the ArchMage title. HeddaHat : Now, Sam. About Duel of Magic. SamSpeaks : Back to the duel! Like I said, who'd ever guess? Wow! HeddaHat : Certainly not me, I must admit. I told Mamusia that Connor would win. ::laughs:: SamSpeaks : I can still hardly believe it. You know, I just do that for fun. HeddaHat : To what do you attribute your win, Sam? SamSpeaks : I don't know! Many take that very seriously, and the other duels too! But for me, it is just a way to have fun! And a lot of fun too! HeddaHat : ::nods:: Do you think perhaps you are more unpredictable than others? And that makes it difficult for others to duel you? SamSpeaks : That must be it. I have participated in a few of the tourney prelims before, but never did very well in them. Then last week, I swept the prelims, 4 and 0! Couldn't believe it! HeddaHat : ::cornflower blue eyes on his:: But you were a mage, no? SamSpeaks : Yes, been a Mage for a while now. HeddaHat : ::shakes her head:: There must be some explanation, Sam. SamSpeaks : And then yesterday, to sweep Connor 2 and 0, and he's the best! HeddaHat : ::nods vigorously:: SamSpeaks : You know? ::leans closer:: HeddaHat : ::smiles:: No...tell me. SamSpeaks : When I was dueling Connor yesterday, you know, the first match? HeddaHat : ::nods:: SamSpeaks : I began to see a pattern in what he was doing, how he was reacting to my spells. 'Course, by then I was down 4.5 to 3, thought I was gonna lose for sure. HeddaHat : ::smiles:: But you snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. SamSpeaks : Actually, I was just glad to get the first point in the first match, because then I wouldn't get skunked. 'Cause that's what I thought was gonna happen. HeddaHat : ::chuckles:: SamSpeaks : And I began to see what he was doing. HeddaHat : ::nods:: Can you share a little of what you saw...without giving anything away, of course? SamSpeaks : So, yeah. When I was down, I figured, "this is how he's gonna react." SamSpeaks : After I did AB on him, I figured he'd either Reflect or Meteor me, so I followed with Wizard Blades. Normally, Wizard Blades is a fairly weak move, but it beats both Reflection and Meteors, and only gives up an advantage against Mage Bolt. SamSpeaks : ::looks thoughtful:: Then again, at that point an advantage was all he needed. But it worked! I got him with the Wiz Blades! Was really surprised! HeddaHat : ::grins at his excitement:: SamSpeaks : It put me ahead, and for the first time, I started thinking, "I've got a chance." HeddaHat : What spell did he cast that move, by the way? SamSpeaks : Oh, he did Reflection. SamSpeaks : Then the very next move, I nailed him with a Mage Bolt. That was the last move. So I won the first one. I was really surprised! HeddaHat : Then what happened? SamSpeaks : I noticed that he did "Dispel Magic" twice in that match. The advantage he has is two powers. Dispel is safe, Mana is a gamble. HeddaHat : Why is that, lovey? ::smiles self-deprecatingly:: Remember I don't know all the moves, dear. Well...not in DoM, anyway. ::beams then winks at him:: SamSpeaks : Dispel is an advantage or it is nothing, but Mana is 50/50 hit for you or hit for him. So casting Dispel can't leave you any worse off than you already are. HeddaHat : ::nods:: So Dispel is a cautious move. Mana is more....aggressive. Is that safe to say? SamSpeaks : Right. Yeah, more aggressive, lotsa risk. HeddaHat : ::nods:: So what did that tell you? SamSpeaks : So I figured that he'd use Dispel twice in the second match, and use them early. Dispel works against offensive moves, and I wanted to waste his advantage. You know, having 2 powers instead of the 1 that the Mages have. HeddaHat : I see. And how did your thinking work out? SamSpeaks : In the beginning of the second match, I was going with defensive moves. HeddaHat : Figuring it would waste the Dispel.....? SamSpeaks : He used Dispel in the second round, did no good against me. Right! But I knew he had a second Dispel. And I knew he'd use it early. So I stayed defensive. Finally in the 5th round, we used Dispel against each other, nullifying them. Then I knew his advantage was over, we were on equal ground. HeddaHat : ::smiles:: So then...if you're on equal ground....what do you do, in strategy terms? SamSpeaks : So I got aggressive. Only used one more defensive move for the rest of the match. I sorta knew how he'd respond to my previous move, and so... SamSpeaks : ::leans closer:: HeddaHat : ::leans toward him, avidly listening:: SamSpeaks : I led him down a path. HeddaHat : ::grins:: A garden path? SamSpeaks : Twice he jumped off of my path, had 2 hits against me. But since I knew where he was going, I used those hits to set up my hits in the following moves. HeddaHat : What made you stick to the planned path? SamSpeaks : I didn't. When he changed paths, so did I. It took most of the first round for me to figure out what he was doing, how his mind worked. Kinda the same thing I've used against my political opponents. Find out their strategy, turn their strengths into your advantage. Use their own strategy against them. HeddaHat : ::smiles:: You know, I've often wondered. How *does* Connor's mind work? SamSpeaks : I don't know how his mind works, but I kinda knew what DoM moves he would use in a particular situation. HeddaHat : ::sits back, a tad disappointed:: Oh. SamSpeaks : Anyway, we're sure gonna miss him as a caller at DoM. He was one of the best! HeddaHat : ::blinks:: He's not going to call anymore? SamSpeaks : Nah. Got a new job or something. Wants to try something new. I wish him the best of luck! HeddaHat : ::frowns:: That's really sad. SamSpeaks : Yes. He helped to make DoM what it is today. But I can understand the urge to move on to new things. We all need some growth in our lives. Something new. Heh heh HeddaHat : Um....what is it today, Sam? SamSpeaks : What is what? HeddaHat : ::looks at her pad:: ....::quotes:: ....he helped make DoM what it is today... HeddaHat : ::looks up:: What *is* it today? In your opinion? SamSpeaks : It's a great sport! Lotsa fun, runs real smooth! The callers know their jobs, can get lots of people dueling without any confusion, and it's all because of Connor's contributions to the forum and the sport. He's the best! HeddaHat : ::smiles:: Say a little more about those contributions, Sam. What has he contributed, specifically? SamSpeaks : He made this contraption that could keep score for you, where you didn't have to do it manually. Really helps when you're doing a whole bunch of duels at once. So the patrons have a greater opportunity to participate now than before. HeddaHat : ::nods, smiling:: SamSpeaks : I mean from the caller's Point of View of course. HeddaHat : ::nods:: I remember some oldtimers thought that it was a terrible thing. But it seems to me that anything that allows for accurate scoring while encouraging ...interaction with the patrons is good. SamSpeaks : Yeah, the oldtimers kinda thought it took the individual flavor out of the sport. HeddaHat : ::shrugs:: Times change. SamSpeaks : But most duelers are interested in playing the game, the part where you're trying to out think your opponent, not how the caller does his or her job. And when the caller can call that many more duels, faster, and with more accuracy, it is the patrons who come out the winners! HeddaHat : ::nods:: I agree. Back to the duel...I got the impression that Connor was shocked you beat him. SamSpeaks : I was shocked myself! Because I fully expected that I'd be shut out. HeddaHat : It must have been difficult for you not to show your excitement when you realized you had him figured out. SamSpeaks : I thought it'd be, like "Connor wins in 2, scores 5 to 0 and 5 to 0." Heh! HeddaHat : ::chuckles:: Amazing, how life is, eh? SamSpeaks : Yes, I did my Darth Vader impression, "All too easy." Then I heard Dan say that I was the winner and the new Arch Mage. Couldn't believe that it was actually over and that I had won! HeddaHat : Sam, it seems to me that it was not all luck. Certainly, you have prepared long and hard and what happened is that all at once that experience worked in your favor...You saw a pattern and knew how to exploit it. SamSpeaks : I suppose. Watch me lose every duel from now on, and be the first Arch Mage to lose the rank of Mage. Hee hee hee hee hee HeddaHat : ::laughs heartily:: I doubt it very much. Now, one last question, Sam. SamSpeaks : OK shoot. ::big smile:: HeddaHat : Do you have any advice for aspiring mages? SamSpeaks : ::leans forward:: First, don't try to win too fast. HeddaHat : ::tilts her head:: What do you mean? SamSpeaks : You need to get the complete matrix before you try to advance, so duel as often as you can, and duel the higher ranked players with the intent of learning the spell interactions, and only when you have a completed matrix, THEN start trying to advance. HeddaHat : ::nods:: Okay.....Second? SamSpeaks : Wait 'till a new cycle starts, so you have a fresh slate. When advancing, realize that there is not much difference between having 3 advanced spells and having the whole range of spells and powers. The powers are actually kinda limited, no one should be too afraid of them. Choosing the right advanced spells as your first ones can be a big help. And knowing the full matrix is the key there. HeddaHat : Ah. What are the right advanced spells? ::scribbling madly:: SamSpeaks : ::smiles big:: Depends on your strategy. HeddaHat : ::looks up at him from under her hat, then smiles:: Thought it was worth a shot. SamSpeaks : ::looks at clock:: DoM is starting! Shall we go? HeddaHat : ::nods:: Of course. SamSpeaks : ::picks up phone:: Bring a limo around please? ::stands:: Shall we? ::offers arm:: HeddaHat : By the way...are you going to do anything new as Archmage? ::takes his arm:: Change the role at all? SamSpeaks : I dunno. Never paid attention to what the old role was. Just gonna wing it. HeddaHat : ::grins:: Well then....I look forward to your reign. SamSpeaks : ::escorts her to waiting limo:: HeddaHat : ::tucks her pad into the purse and snaps it shut and exits the office with him:: At Duel of Magic, now held in RDI Nexus on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays, RDI Sythal led the applause for the New ArchMage as he took his seat on the throne. As his first official act as ArchMage, Sam decreed chocolate pudding for everyone. The author slipped away to investigate rumors elsewhere, thereby saving her figure from further unnecessary embellishments. * * * Page 9 REPORT FROM THE OUTBACK Because the Diamond Tourney is postponed, the report form the Outback is postponed too! **************** AP ******************* *** In need of relieving some stress? *** Feel like taking out your aggressions the old-fashioned way? Or just enjoy throwing an opponent into the ropes! Well, the little town of RhyDin has just the thing for you! It's called the Outback! And there's no holds barred! Wander in! Find out why 9 out of 10 duelers say it's the best thing since the invention of band-aids! Come on down and give it a try! And for those who just like watching grown men and women pound each other senseless, there's plenty of ale for the enjoying, courtesy of the famed Red Dragon Inn. **************** AP ****************** * * * page 10 <<<<--------------------------------------------->>>> THE WHITE ROSE Catering and other hands on activities. Centrally located in Downtown Rhydin between the Red Dragon Inn and the StarsEnd Bar and Grill. Walk-ins welcome, appointments appreciated. ---/--\-%{@ Bria Thorne, owner and proprietress <<<<--------------------------------------------->>>> * * * page 11 DUEL OF FISTS PHOTOSPREAD We welcome Kyttn as the new photographer for the Duel of Fists! Her work will premiere in the next issue of Dueling Today! * * * page 12 Tired of the kidlets hanging off of you while you're trying to duel? Looking for some daycare even in the middle of the night? Or perhaps you'd just like a quiet night with your significant other? The Garden Daycare Center is now open. Children of all ages welcome. We are a full-service daycare center, with personnel on the grounds 24 hours every day. For more information, please contact Aliyanna Stormbringer, proprietor, at The Garden. * * * page 13 ~ Larana's Love Loft ~ Looking for a romantic present for your spouse, harem, slave or lover? Seeking out that special gift that keeps on giving? Larana's Love Loft offers a wide variety of adult oriented products, services and entertainment for your purchasing pleasure. Friendly, helpful discreet service, and a broad spectrum of items that suit every nature and erotic taste. An on premise massage parlor, cafe bar, and vast literature and visual section have something to offer everyone. Larana's Love Loft, the shoppe that keeps you coming back for more. ~ Larana's Love Loft ~ 690 RhyDin Rd. RhyDin City, RhyDin Larana MacRoy Proprietor ** Look for our new summer "Duel of Romance," catalogue, featuring your favorite thrusters and parriers, and the outstanding art of Amaltea! Available soon..! * * * page 14 Need a Sword? Need a Barrel of Potion's Miracle Salve because dueling's got you bleeding more than yer share of blood? Come on down to Arelia's Trinkets today. Mention this ad for a discount. ::a large photo of the inside of the shoppe (which looks as big as a Super WalMart) accompanies the ad. There is no hint of trolls or any of the other usual lurkers in the picture which makes knowledgable readers wonder if the photo is a fake:: * * * Disclaimer: DoS Today is an independently produced magazine in no way affiliated with the official DOS, DOF, or DOM games, the Free Form Gaming Forum, or AOL. The information herein should not be considered the views of AOL or its staff. Thank you. (c) 1996, Dueling Today Copyrights held by individual contributors. For information on reproduction of any or all of this e-zine, contact screen name Gutenbergh@aol.com or HeddaHat@aol.com.