Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 10:48:28 -0500
From: "Robert F. Heeter" 
Subject: W2WT: Round B Call to Arms! (A)

"Sire?"  A head peeks into your command tent at sunset.

"Yes, Sergeant?"  You look up from studying the map with your generals.

"Our pickets have noticed a mysterious storm approaching.
 It seems we're about to have a strange mid-winter thunderstorm!
 The birds have gone silent and the rabbits are hiding in their
   burrows, which is most unusual.  Will you have a look?"

You straighten up and step outside, along with your sages.
Indeed the soldiers are right - a vast, swirling, and very
dark mass of cloud is approaching - and far too rapidly to be
any ordinary storm!  You quickly issue orders to make fast
the tents and tie down all the loose equipment, but the storm
rushes upon you and your troops!  The wind blows fiercely
and the trees whip around like willow-branches.  The wind
whistling and howling and roaring through the trees, the
camp, even the tall grass on this "sheltered" hillside!
Food, clothing, supper-dishes and papers fly through the air
like deranged birds.  But strangely, there is no snow, no rain...

"Sire, this is no ordinary tempest!  It is a sending from
the Gods!" your sage shouts to be heard.

Indeed, he must be right.  With a blinding flash, a bolt
of lightning sears the sky.  In the briefest of half-seconds
tendrils of electricity dance across the ground of your
camp like the legs of an epileptic centipede.  The air
crackles like a thousand pieces of homespun being torn to
shreds.  The main bolt transfixes your command tent in a
sudden burst, flashing right through the animal skins and
fabric and all - and then, with a quick burst of thunder,
instantly all is silent, except the soft ringing noise that
lingers in your ears.  And the cloud dissipates and vanishes.

A weak voice calls out from inside your tent: "Sire, lend me a hand!"

You step back inside and discover a most unusual sight!
Into the map table has been fired a long steel arrow,
almost the size of a javelin.  And unfortunately it seems to
have gone right through the helm of your most talented
and dedicated general!   But it is not so bad - it missed his
skull, and simply perforated the mithril-steel alloy
like it was a soft fleshy apple.  You spot your general's
head slowly emerging from the helm, and breathe a sign of
relief.

Meanwhile, your sage examines the arrow.  "Sire, someone
of great power has sent us a message inscribed on the shaft!"
This arrow must have been hurled down from the clouds by
the lightning bolt.  The language is obscure, but I think
I remember it...  Let me see...

Your general helps him pull the arrow out of the table and
through the punctured helm.  Your sage stands and reads
the message aloud:

    Warlord!

    You have fought hard and well in Round A.

    Regardless of whether you win a medal in the Olympics,
      you have shown your mettle as a valiant and honorable warrior!

    But now, the end of the Olympics draws near.

    And the Ancient Gods await thee!

    Will you join them for The Duel?

    Fill out the survey contained inside this arrow,
    shoot the arrow back up into the sky, and your answers
    will be heard!

And your sage unscrews the end of the arrow, drawing forth
a slightly scorched scroll of parchment, which he hands to you:

**************  Round B Player Signup Survey  *****************

(1) Will you play in Round B?  (*ALL* of Round B?)

    Round B is expect to last through June 1998.
    You must reply with a "Yes" answer by Thursday, February 12,
      to be included in the Round.

(2) Are you willing to play an extra Round B game as a substitute?

    This will require you to divide your Tournament time between two games,
    but you will get more practice, and even better, you can keep your
    best ranking at the end of the round as your "official" result.

(3) Would you like to change your Alias for Round B?

    This may help you remain relatively anonymous in the standings.
    It may also be help you do a great role-play and win
    one of the five prizes to be awarded at the end of the Round!
    (You may change your alias at any time by notifying Headquarters
    and your Moderator.)

(4) Have you enjoyed Round A?  Is there anything we can do to make
    the tournament even more fun?

In short:  Are you ready for the next challenge?!  :)

The Warlords of the Tournament await your reply!

******************************************************************

... and so you answer it immediately and send it in!



-- Tournament Headquarters