Challenging Dalamar

[DoS Archive]

From: randaltan@aol.com (Rand alTan)
Date: 02 Jul 1998 17:44:01 EDT

Overlord and friend Dalamar,
Duelists of the DoS,

Herein is my challenge for the title of Supreme Dueler of the Duel of Swords. I have thought long about this challenge, and my desire to go through with it. At first, it was out of what I thought was dislike and spite for Dalamar, caused by my frustration, anger and injured pride upon losing my Baron's Ring in such a poor defense. I sought to blame someone other than myself, and since the Overlord had failed in his intervention, he was a
perfect, if poorly chosen, target. Dalamar did not have to intercede on my behalf, and it should not have and did not affect how I dueled in my own defense, though I chose to believe it did. I spoke in anger against Dalamar after that defense, nearly ruining our friendship. From then until now, that gap I created was not sealed because my pride had filled it, and kept it open.

Ruminating upon this challenge, I have realized my folly, and submit myself humbly to the Overlord asking forgiveness for being so stubborn and stupid. Discovering this about myself does not, however, make me shrink from my original idea to go for the title. It has changed my reasons. Before, it was a sort of revenge, a false cure for my injured pride.

Now, it is to test myself. This test is ultimate, the test against the best in the sport, and I hope, a good friend. I managed to pass one test, and gain a Baron's Ring. That test was not enough, as I proved to myself and all that something was missing, and that was loyalty and strength of heart. With renewed integrity and a new sense of myself and the Duels, I seek to prove to everyone that I can do it, that I am a new person.

I have spoken to Dalamar about this, and do believe he understands, I hope that others can as well, an if they can not, I hope that they can trust that I mean well for everyone, and the sport itself.


Sincerely,

-Rand al'Tan
warlord


Following is the list, gathered from bits and pieces of failing memory and aging slips of parchment, of peer wins. I apologize to all in advance for the missing information, especially to Golden, for it makes his job that much more difficult. I have done my best to arrange them in chronological order, to aid in the search process.


Rand alTan def. GnimishRW, 5 - 3.5 in 12 rounds.
Rand alTan def. Seraph
Rand alTan def. Dark Axe
Rand alTan def. NovaShayde
Rand alTan def. RLupton 11/13/97
Rand alTan def. Gnort 12/10/97
Rand alTan def. LordovDale 1/15/98
Rand alTan def. SirCetran 2/4/98
Rand alTan def. QuickVarMG 2/5/98
Rand alTan def. TinyTopaz 2/5/98
Rand alTan def. Sartan Z 2/5/98
Rand alTan def. Daegarth, 5.5 - 4.5 in 15 rounds 5/21/98
Rand alTan def. XxDesireex, 5-2 in 6 rounds 5/22/98
Rand alTan def. Harris4081 5/23/98
Rand alTan def. Duke Uziel 6/?/98
Rand alTan def. Dem Cyrax l 6/20/98
Rand alTan def. Xclone 6/20/98
Rand alTan def. Zen 80s, 5 - 3 in 8 rounds 6/?/98

[DoS Archive]

From: drakewyni@aol.com (Drakewyn I)
Date: 02 Jul 1998 22:31:40 EDT

Luck to you both...

And I'm glad to see that, when someone decides that they need to end anger and hatred, they aren't always turned away.


Lady Drake, aka the Gryphon

[DoS Archive]

From: ytmeis@aol.com (YTMEIS)
Date: 02 Jul 1998 22:49:50 EDT

This space reserved for some vigilante who will definitely start a debate over the morality of the challenge. It never fails.

((not a post - just a crudely written, unsigned label attached to the board))

[DoS Archive]

From: xvevan@aol.com (XvEvan)
Date: 02 Jul 1998 22:54:46 EDT



::posts a post in the space provided::

Rand- " Overlord and friend Dalamar"

And then they're was two......

[DoS Archive]

From: xvevan@aol.com (XvEvan)
Date: 02 Jul 1998 22:56:15 EDT



::looks at the post he just posted and frowns forgeting his name, but got his mark on there....they're was, heh::

-Evan Rush Rynth Faline

[DoS Archive]

From: xstevegx@aol.com (X SteveG X)
Date: 02 Jul 1998 23:14:53 EDT

Interesting that Rand fails to mention me anywhere in that.

Nothing wrong with that, of course, but just rather interesting.

::left unsigned, figuring people who really care would know who wrote it::

[DoS Archive]

From: jakvaltrds@aol.com (Jakvaltrds)
Date: 03 Jul 1998 04:38:44 EDT

Warlord Rand,
I hope you find that which you seek. I also wish you luck in the ring when the hour arrives. Forgive me if I do not wish you success as I still hold that wish for the Overlord.
May skill and honor guide your blades and may your wits be as keen as their edges.
Seamus
Baron of the First

[DoS Archive]

From: lordovdale@aol.com (LordovDale)
Date: 03 Jul 1998 14:48:29 EDT

Warlord Rand al'Tan,

It with a great deal of respect that I read your challenge letter. Never during my time here in RhyDin have I seen someone so honest and capable of reflecting on their own actions.
I am honored to accept this challenge as one of skill, not politics. It is my belief that the only true way to determine the better duelist is to meet in a Best of Three format, therefore that is what you should expect come the date of the match. I expect a grand duel, and I know whatever the outcome, the Duel of Swords will be left in capable hands.
I have decided to set the match for Tuesday, July 7th at 10 PM by the Eastern Clock. We will duel in the Basement Annex of the Duelers Arena, and I have secured the honorable Alais 'd Nitesong Sidhe to officiate the match for us.
As always, I shall duel under the silver and black of the Oldest House, and I will be wielding Vengeance: The Blade Half in Shadow. My second for this affair will be my good friend Baron Sartan, and my Lady of Honor will be the beautiful Sidartha Elgarette.
Until we meet on the field of battle; skill and honor to you, Rand.

respectfully,
Lord Dalamar Ar'Daumon

Overlord of the Duel of Swords
Lord of the Dale
Guardian of the Oldest House

[DoS Archive]

From: dukeuziei@aol.com (Duke UzieI)
Date: 04 Jul 1998 19:02:04 EDT

::scoffs and re-reads the collected posts::

::scoffs again::


Verily one hopes the propaganda artists and false claims shall not bely thy challenge as it has belied mine Rand.

Lord Dalamar, friend of my weakest past. Once again, fulsomely show us how thou can suspend all ties of honor and friendship, and verily lie to those you know and those that know you, in the name of becoming *The Greatest Overlord The Duels Have Ever Known*. We foreasmuch are breathless in anticipation of the spectacle of dishonorable actions being horse paraded as perogative and honor once again, as nonetheless thou art the master of
such actions.

I am,
~Adonai Uziel
~DragonLord of RhyDin
~Master of Chaos
~Warlord of the Duels and 10th of the Seventh

[DoS Archive]

From: sidarthae@aol.com (Sidartha E)
Date: 05 Jul 1998 19:01:00 EDT

::writes, simply::

Do I sense jealousy?


~Sidartha Elgarette~
Swordslady (again)
All-Star, TDL
Captain, Dracoern Highlands

[DoS Archive]

From: perrinis@aol.com (Perrinis)
Date: 05 Jul 1998 19:32:13 EDT

Adonai:

I don't typically read your silly posts, but your post-signature clains caught my eye. To state you were the 10th holder of the 7th isn't correct.. the histories count it wrong as well. I counted down the chain of command several times, to straighten this out...
..and I'll demonstrate..



Ulath Fici
* 2/7/95 - 5/29/95 * <----The first....
Dirk Random
* 8/30/95 - 9/11/95 * <---Dirk's the second.
Athlstan
* 9/11/95 - 4/9/96 * <----Spooky's the third..
Daegarth Mithmellon
* 4/9/96 - 6/18/96 * <-----Dae had it fourth.
Jeffrey Oakenshield
* 6/18/96 - 1/4/97 * <----Fifth(We'll count each time Jeff and Ellisa had it as separate times)
Ellisa Morgan
* 1/4/97 - 4/3/97 * <------6th.
Jeffrey Oakenshield
* 4/3/97 - 5/28/97 * <-----7th..
Ellisa Morgan
* 5/28/97 - 10/15/97 * <----8th..
Jeffrey Oakenshield
* 10/15/97 -11/11/97 * <----9th..
Moralitor
* 11/11/97 - 2/9/98 * <--Now this guy was the 10th. I should know
I tried to be the 11th one time. : D
Adonai Uziel
* 2/9/98 - 6/21/98 * <----11th.
Perrinis Alabaster
* 6/21/98 - Present * <---The twelth, and cutest.


Now to count Jeff and Ellisa in there only once, Adonai would be the 8th, and I would be the 9th...
Thanks for givin' me the time to clear that up, folks!



-Perri!
can't resist hopping on the bandwagon...

[DoS Archive]

From: dukeuziei@aol.com (Duke UzieI)
Date: 05 Jul 1998 20:50:35 EDT

::a smile slowly forms::


Perrinis,

If what thou sayest is fact then fact it is. Perfection is the first sign of a delusional mind....and perfect I hath never been, nor shall I strive for such idiocy.
Thine other words are nettlesome, and merely the words of a hunted man, thou knowest should I come back for what was mine, thy spirit would falter and thou wouldst have no recourse but to fall back upon your flippant loyalty to the throne, which, verily, all men know ist of much less true loyalty to the throne ast mine wast when I first set my blade behind the Overlord, whereas foreasmuch if thou werest to face me alone, thy blade
would fail thee. This thou knowest....as do diverse others.

Patrons,

Verily I am not the favorite of the rings in these days, concerned mayhaps I might be of this, but tis the way, and I shall not falter in my resolve. I had thought to share something with those I once called friend though, since the one who pens it cannot and will not address it publically. This today I hath recieved via fast horse, a missive from a man I once called friend, and verily challenged in a spirit of friendship,
until those that saw otherwise destroyed it with lies and propaganda. Mine response mayhaps hit far to close to the bone....so verily....read on, and know what thy loyalties support. And enjoy, those that would challenge for the the highest upon high, for if by might thou couldst nearly overcome the crown...this is what mayest lie in store for thee.

<<Adonai,

Go away. Nobody cares for your presence in this realm any longer. Have fun in exile with the other lying, slandering, sore-losers. Good day.

-Dalamar>>

Dalamar,

I do not lie, nor do I slander anyone, I hath merely put forward an opinion on thy rule....tis that basis for exile here? Hast thou finally gone so mad with power that thou believest you may make those that do not agree with thee dissapear?
Everything thou hast done in our challenge wast thy perogative, and verily, in most situations...twas understandable. But mayhaps I suggest thou look upon my challenge post to thee, there wast no rancor, nor had I slung mud upon thee, or disrespected thee in anyway. I verily admitted my intent wast not to depose you so much as to hath danced the challenge with thee...that twas my only motive for challenging thee. I didst not
turn on thee Dalamar, I did only that which was necessary to have challenge with thee.
But verily thou hast turned upon me....thine spirit saw fit to test me, a being thou hast known for well nigh two years now, thou couldst not do a friend the respect of a best of three contest, you sought, for some reason, and still do, to break me. A fitting repayment for one that was your friend even to after the calling of Lord Oakenshield to the rings.
I did not seek thy animosity. Verily thou hast cast it upon me for the mere point of view that I hold after thy dishonorable handling of mine challenge, truly thou shalt have the greatest and most perfect reign in all the Duels, ast soonest thou hast destroyed or hast driven away all those that comest to this place for their love of the sport and doth not let themselves be led with blinders on, as thou hast tried with all.
Thou art the Overlord. Thou art honorable, and just and skilled.....and those that believe that not....wilt be cast to the wolves for thinking for themselves. Verily Dalamar...what do you rule with? The weight of the respect of your peers and friends? Or the iron fist of a tyrant well nigh like unto Valmion of Questrion, that twas happy to claim respect and friendship of his peers....as long as he still had use for them?
Think over my words carefully Overlord....I hath cast no insult in them..but merely voice an opinion. Verily....I wouldst remember thee as the friend I once believed in. Not as the meglomaniacal, power mad being I am sensing here. Please...if I am wrong in mine judgements....correct me. For as I hath stated...I do not crave thy animosity.

I am,
~Adonai Uziel
~DragonLord of RhyDin
~Master of Chaos
~Warlord and Once Baron of the Seventh

[DoS Archive]

From: karyepezd@aol.com (Karye PezD)
Date: 05 Jul 1998 21:55:51 EDT

Am I the only one who noticed Adonai started using a way different language? Perfection might be the first sign of a delusional mind, but this ranks up there too.

~~Karye~~

[DoS Archive]

From: quickvarmg@aol.com (QuickVarMG)
Date: 05 Jul 1998 22:24:34 EDT

Adonai,
I am speaking in a way, where I feel I know how Dalamar feels. This may not be how Dal feels, but this is how I view things.
You claimed loyalty to Dalamar. You also consider(ed) yourself a friend. Generally, people are glad when their friends claim they are loyal.
After a while, with the challenges bouncing to all barons except you, you chose to change alignment to renegade, to get a que of challenges. If memory serves me right, Dalamar said he didn't agree with your reasons, but that's one of the facts about friendship: you don't have to agree on everything.
This was sometime earlier last month, I believe, when all of this happened. You were a renegade baron expecting a que of challenges, which never came. After one week, you issued a challenge to Dal for his crown.
You said you did not seek to take the crown from him, yet you challenge for it. You claim to be his friend, yet you keep loyalty at your own whim, only to turn around a while later to smack him in the face publicly, trying to take away something he worked very hard for.
To put this on hypothetical terms, say that you were overlord. Say Huma is a baron (I'm using Huma as an example because of you formerly being in the same house. This is not trying to pick on Huma or anyone else). Would you have liked Huma to declare loyalty towards you, then when he gets bored, he claims renegade just to appease boredom? Then when he doesn't get a challenge, he turns around and challenges you. Tell us, Adonai, if you held
your crown for over a year, and challenges were submitted to you in the time being (I believe Dal had other challenges issued to him soon before), would you have felt any different than Dal?
I would think not.

Respectfully,
Var Medici-Giovanni
±
|¯Proud to put his family first¯|
|¯Unwavered loyalty to Dalamar¯|
|¯Holder of the 10th baronial ring¯|
|¯Attempting to defend what's right¯|

[DoS Archive]

From: dukeuziei@aol.com (Duke UzieI)
Date: 06 Jul 1998 00:11:14 EDT



Var DeMedici-Giovanni,

Words of merit and the wisdom of the rings, thou hast garnered these from what thy knowest. Fulsomely I can understand thy findings. But what thou hast failed to understand, as have all others ist that I had no intention of taking, or destroying the things Dalamar hast gained here. As I said....verily I had merely challenged for the love of the sport. And in a spirit of friendship.
Twould ye, and diverse others have this realm unchanging? Wouldst ye cast the spirit of competition aside and makest this place of foul underhanded monarchy and rule of popularity? I thinkest not.....the will of our predecessors, thine and mine, Gondar....Xenograg....Sierra, wouldst these, oft high legend and skill look upon this place as a shining evolution of what was began so many years ago? Or wouldst they hang their heads in
apathy for that which the wonder of the ring hast become? My opinion twould be the latter.
Oft surety Var....thy loyalty is unquestioned to the Overlord...and thou art respected for this. But canst thou think for a moment that a friend mightest challenge a friend? Mayhaps thou mightest remember mine challenge unto Lord AJaybird? His respect and friendship hast not daunted for that challenge....because verily it twas not a challenge of disrespect or rancor but of friendly competition.....ast was my intention with
Dalamar.
All seek to cast blame upon me....when truly...I did nothing wrong, I sought to enliven mine times here. And thou, and diverse others seek to crucify me for that. Mine switching of loyalties twas nothing but and expedience for that which I felt I must needs had done Fulsomely my friendship towards Lord Dalamar hadst not diminished until after said challenge...whenst he threw me unto the wolves dishonorablly. Dost think mayhaps
think that yon railings against me were true in feeling? Diverse duelers of antiquity, suddenly just stopping by to cast hatred and despite at an honorable challenge? Somehow its all far to....dovetailed in mine eyes.
Fairly....all are allowed their opinions here, but what of mine, canst thou sayest that all can put forth opinion but yon accused? Ridiculous.....balderdash in the highest form. All I hath asked is an understanding of mine motives....but verily thou hast not even given myself even that. Hast I called any of thee out? Hast I disrespected thy opinions? Nay.....I hast merely set myself to trying to fulsomely keep the truth of the
matters in the open...a task..that is highly daunting to say the least.
I do not ask for thy approval, nor thy blessing, I ask for the understanding that any man of honor wouldst give another. I wast Lord Dalamar's friend. I challenged him for the sake of competition and challenge. How oft shall I remind all of this? Shall I take it to the highest peak daily and scream it to the land from yon high pinnacle daily?
I am now not a friend of Dalamar's, for which I believe I have truest reasons. If thou seek to find evil there....lookest to the actions that brought it about. Couldst I stand stauchly as a friend unto one that had betrayed me far more deeply than any administrative change of loyalty could have done unto him? Hast he not spoken ill of me and perpetuated vile rumor and statement of me? Didst he not toss me to the side, verily
casting into my teeth the denial of the realm from which he hast no right nor priveldge to do so?

Thinkest thou on these things good people....hast my inconsistency been of that stripe? Hast my change of loyalty and a friendly challenge in the spirit of the DoS come even close the the hatred and black words Dalamar hast cast at me? I thinkest not....foreasmuch after that challenge I wouldst have still been his friend. The win...or the loss wast not my concern. Dalamar seeks to make his realm how he wishes it....and if thou
canst find mortal insult in a friend wishing to test thy steel in the spirit of camaraderie...then thou art far to high strung in mine eyes.


Good day fair people,
~Adonai Uziel
~DragonLord of RhyDin
~Master of Chaos
~Warlord and Once Baron of the Seventh