Hmm.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/20/1999 7:26 PM Central Daylight Time
From: AnObsrver

Just as a comment, I think it's interesting that a call for an apology is being demanded of Rask, but none from Shannon.

Certainly Rask's motives were more innocent than Shannon's. Regardless of whether it was Shannon's intent to remove the Opal permanently or temporarily her motives are certainly more suspect than those of Rask who was reacting, in an official capacity, to an event. His words were strong, but necessarily so, to make it known this sort of behavior was unacceptable within the Outback.

Even if there was agreement that Rask owed anyone an apology, Shannon Colton must owe both this sport, and the officials who run it, the first apology. Until that apology arrives, I see little point or purpose in anyone apologizing to her.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/20/1999 7:31 PM Central Daylight Time
From: LoneWolfBW

It's quite fascinating...Ms. Drakewyn and Mr. Dalamar seem intent on silencing me. Why, I wonder, is that?

Sir Dalamar, I quote you..
>>What am I trying to say here? Let me make it as clear as I can. WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING YET. And because of that fact, why are we all fighting about this subject?

I'm presenting my case, piece by piece. You, sir, are fighting. Let's make sure we understand the difference.

Lady, you portend to be logical, while branding me the opposite. Might I remind you that your first foray into this debate consisted of a convoluted series of "she might haves" that depended greatly on alternate possibilities and assumptions. I have facts, presented thusly.

Fact: At the time she left the building that night, Ms. Colton remained on the Standings of the Duel of Fists as reigning holder of the Blue Opal. She was not off said standings for several days. So at that time, she was fully in her rights to retain possession of the Blue Opal, and did not "Abscond" with it.

Now, you may ask...did she retain possession of it after her name was taken down and her retirement official? I say to you, no she did not. Prove it, you say? Tonight, I shall do precisely that.

Fact: The dust that remained of the 'destroyed' item has been tested..and for the record, it consists of various silicon and quartz elements. These elements, ladies and gentlemen..are what is left when you pulverize glass. Mr. Dalamere. Ms. Drakewyn. Which of you would like to tell me what that means?

I'll save you the time. It means that what was pulverized *was* Glass. Not a gemstone, and therefore not an Opal. If you'd like to see the results firsthand, I am at your convenience.

Fact: A witness, a noted glassblower of Rhydin Town, has stated that Ms. Colton purchased from him on the night of the Diamond Quest, a custom-ordered blue glass sphere. The receipt is extant; if you'd like to see it, again I am at your convenience.

And tonight, I will present the final proof to you. But until then, kindly cease telling me to be quiet, to leave it be, or whatever other rubbish you like. If you want to debate my position, then by all means, let's! But if you just want me to go away....to quote a bard of another realm and time.. "Dream on.."

Cordially,

Walker.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/20/1999 8:01 PM Central Daylight Time
From: LoneWolfBW

Well, this is interesting..

I've made my case clear, sir Observer, as to why I am interceding here..perhaps you'd be so good as to do the same?

No matter how noble your motives may be, your impact is diminished by hiding behind such a nom de plume.

Perhaps you'd be so kind as to enlighten us as to why? Or will it be just a variation on, "I'm just an unbiased outside observer who wishes to remain nameless."

Walker

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/20/1999 8:31 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Deuce Mack

I dunno. Maybe I wrote the last thing in Hebrew or Muslim or somethin. Since y'all seem to want to pick apart everything each other says, let me remind y'all of somethin.

This ain't the Arena.

Ya want a better argument? Go read what Janella wrote.

Everybody, you know what the big picture is. Is it real? That's it. I dunno if it is or not. I will by the end of the week. If it is, then she didn't do it, end of story. If it ain't, and I don't think it is, then we keep lookin. The whole idea of fakes is kinda new, so where's the first place we'd look? That's right, Shanni's place.

But ya know what? Girl's gone. Everything we been hearing says she had a cabin that went up in some kind of forest fire. Gonna be tough to question her now. According to the reports, she gone. Gone as in, vanished. Gettin torched in a blaze like that can do that, or maybe somethin else happened. Don't matter, cause we really can't investigate her anymore. If she had it, sorry y'all, but it's gone. And if it was in the cabin, we'd have gotten
it.

Alright, you want a recap? I wanna make sure I didn't lose no one.

Chance 1- It's real. Shanni didn't nuke it, we got it back, end of story.

Chance 2- It's fake, and the real thing vanished with Shanni. We ain't gettin it back, folks.

Chance 3- It's fake, and the real thing's still around somewhere. We'll find it.

See that? That's all that's important here. If she swiped it, that's screwed up, but we can't do nothin about it now, so it ain't no use talkin about it. If she swiped it and gave it back, she gave it back! Who cares? It ain't important. Everybody's forgetting that this ain't about words and games like that, it's about people and fightin.

THAT'S IT.

Now would y'all just chill out? Stop fightin each other's damn words.

Deuce

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/20/1999 8:55 PM Central Daylight Time
From: LoneWolfBW

Well said, Deuce...

It would indeed be an awful thing to continue to distract from everyone having a good time, so (to your collective and unending joy, no doubt) I will shortly conclude my arguments.

Once the facts are known, I shall grace your doorstep no longer (or darken it, depending on your view)

Now now..hold the applause, I'm not gone yet!

But, Deuce, I will confess disappointment that you are so blunt and unfeeling as to care nothing for clearing a stain on someone's honor. A pity, for I'd still do this were you the one so stained. But, that is your opinion, so be it.

Walker

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/21/1999 5:20 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Carnage669

If you all got a problem with Walker....just ignore him and he'll probably go away...Most people like him just want attention anyhow.






Cletus

Guardian of Polaris

Humble Warlord of DoS

Member of The Rising Stars (TDL)









"Please leave this latrine as tidy as you found it."

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/22/1999 12:03 AM Central Daylight Time
From: DalamarMaj

I have one more little observation I would like to make and it concerns this quote from Walker.>>It is not literally between myself and Rask, but between Signor Rask and Ms. Colton. However, as you know, she is not able to to defend herself in this matter, and so I have elected to do so.<<Unless I am poorly mistaken, this matter was basicly closed until Walker brought it back up. There was really no defending needing to be done until this was brought up once more.Keep in mind that this is not an argument. Just an observation.Signed,Dalamar Majere

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/19/1999 7:03 PM Central Daylight Time
From: LoneWolfBW

Deuce brings up a point I feel I must address.

Why *have* I taken up this cause?

Well, I shall start by saying I have met the lady in question on several occasions through mutual friends. I believe you may know some of them - Kyttnayah, for one.

Why have I brought this forward?

That, my friends, is a simple question, and I offer a simple answer.

Because no one else did. And no one else would have, I hate to say.

Walker

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/19/1999 8:08 PM Central Daylight Time
From: LoneWolfBW

I spoke of proofs before...

Well! I shall proffer to you the first.

On the night of the infamous "Opal Destruction", Ms. Colton paid a visit to a small shoppe in the village, a noted glassmaker. And on this night, for the sum of ten gold, this noted glassmaker (who goes by the name Dorwyn), proceeded to make for the young lady...a carefully crafted blue glass sphere.

For what purpose, you ask?

Consider - did anyone get a *good* look at the Opal at the moment she destroyed it? Was anyone near her, save her comrade Karteran? No..and by her design.

What was destroyed, my worthies, was that same blue glass sphere. Has anyone analyzed the dust that was formed by the destruction of the 'gem'?

I didn't think so. But particles remain, swept up by one of your 'koala' housekeeping staff, and I believe that they will now be analyzed by a noted alchemist to show that they are indeed powdered fragments of a sphere of blown glass.

Not...an Opal.

I have a statement signed by the glassmaker, if you wish to test my word. And coming next...another statement even stronger than that.

After all, I'd hate for any treachery to threaten the case I bring before you.

~Walker

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/19/1999 9:14 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Roland Sal

I'm not talking about Shanni's reputation being blackened. I'm talking about Opals. The actual title and its history.



Rol

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/19/1999 10:49 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Drakewyn I

Point of Order.

A symbolic gesture, such as the distruction of a "false Opal" may have indeed been taken by Ms. Colton.
However, even if that is true, that does not preclude the fact that she -deliberately- wished the staff and patrons of the Outback to believe the Opal was destroyed.
Quite simply, if she did not destroy the true Opal, then she stole the property of the Outback which has since been returned.
Can there be any doubt of that?



Lady Drake, aka the Gryphon.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/20/1999 12:42 AM Central Daylight Time
From: LoneWolfBW

Lady..

You make my point precisely.

She did *not* destroy it. You may speak all you like of her intents, etc. (though, I don't believe you OR I qualified to speak as to her intents,) and as you said...it was returned. By her? Of course...who else? And that is a subject I am going to address very soon.

Therefore, Ms. Colton did not commit the crime she was accused of, villified for, and which you seem so fervent to convict her of regardless. Might I ask why?

But this is of no consequence, my dear lady...the final Proof is forthcoming. And all our arguments will be laid to rest.

My friends!

In under twenty-four hours time, I will present unto you the truth, from the lips of someone who WITNESSED it all. Then, we shall see what redress is made unto the so-called accused party. Then indeed, we shall see what the righteous have to say!

Until then, my fellows!

Walker

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/20/1999 2:38 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Drakewyn I

Mr. Walker.

Your latest statement, for all practical purposes, admits that Ms. Colton absconded with the property of the Duel of Fists... it also admits, for all practical purposes, admits that Ms. Colton deliberately misled the staff and community into believe that she did, in fact, destroy the Blue Opal for the purpose of absconding with it.
The fact that Ms. Colton, who according to a self-described close friend of hers has not been in RhyDin for some time, may have arranged for the return of the Blue Opal only mildly reduces the severity of her crime against the community.
In closing, let's get this straight... Whether Ms. Colton destroyed the Blue Opal or Ms. Colton merely tricked the community into believing it was destroyed so that she could keep, even for a short time, she commited a crime against the community.
As for my involvement in this matter... I am merely providing a logical, legal and non-biased view... which you seem to lack, given your postings on previous subjects.



Lady Drake, aka the Gryphon.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/20/1999 8:05 PM Central Daylight Time
From: LoneWolfBW

I think, perhaps, Sir Observer, I may put your argument to rest rather easily; even without you coming out from behind your veil of obscurity.

If you will refer back to Tisman's post..

It is a bit difficult to obtain an apology from the dead. Though, there may be a medium we can contact for that, if you like.

Walker.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 1/21/1999 10:19 AM Central Daylight Time
From: EldrionKoG

"You know what I find freakin' hilarious?!..."

The Ranger writes this with a faint smirk and a slight chuckle. His last adventure in the posting lands brought him across the path (or more directly, defending the path) of a guy named Walker. The detested-by-most intellect who's unwarrented and certainly unthinkable demand has caused most of the members of the Outback (almost all of whom have no reason whatsoever to be involved in this) to rise up in anger. Rask... apologize!?! For actions
that had both merit and need...?

Eldarion continues after a moment's pause...

"This whole string of posts is completely about Rask... and who is about the only person we haven't heard from? ... why, the man in question of course.

Shannon Kimberly Colton, the Thug of the Outback, was both one of my closest friends, and an amazing woman. A long, long time ago, she (along with a few others) took a sport which had only a few participants and even less order... and turned it into the Outback... only for it to become even more ill-ordered than it was in its beginnings.

I am known for defending her in the Outback where almost all others insult... and for what reason?... Rask's public defamation of her name.

What right did Rask have for such harsh words? None. Maybe (although, in my opinion, she was right) she was wrong, and Shannon's actions were a bit... extreme. That still gives him no right to lower himself to name-calling. Even if he felt what she did was outrageous... as the DoF Coordinator he should be expected to set an example...

Is the example he portrays a good one?... Are we to publicly cuss out and bad-name any person who, we feel, has done something wrong instead of looking for a solution and settling the matter personally?"

Once again, he pauses.. then picks up the pen for the last time..

"I grow weary of the bickering and name-calling. It does the sport, and its name, no good. What I can't understand is why everyone felt the need to become involved with this when it is obiviously between Walker and Rask...

Is Walker to become another martyr for the Outback?...

Is Rask going to hide behind his faithful patrons... too good now to reply to this martyr, or is he simply refusing to acknologe the existance of these posts... who knows?... it has happened before.

I have said what I thought needed to be said. What we do not need is another public bashing, and this is exactly what this discussion is turning into. Whether Rask feels he needs to apologize or not is ultimately his decision. Nothing we say will change that. I ask everyone, including myself, to stay out of this from now on. Leave it between Walker and Rask... he who started it, and he who should finish it.

We need no more martyrs."

And with that being writen, the Ranger dropped the pen and strode out.