The game started out as one of the few well-balanced games
in the round, with a cast of four strong warlords:  MadMax, Red (24); Zak,
Green (27); Gor Bonecracker, Blue (10); and Apache, Black (17). 

Early on, Green makes a show, hiring griffins right off (by turn 6 she
will have elephants as well, but only one hero), and introducing the
mighty Rhonda: 

> Until, suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere Û RHONDA appears.  Rhonda, a
> dark haired vixen; a leather clad, muscle bound goddess of death; a
> woman with her own 401K plan; a woman scorned.
>
> And there is nothing more frightening than a woman scorned.

Black roleplays a druidic nation called the Black Drai, let by a giant
serpent Black Mamba, and Morganna.  The two heroes are at odds while they
are both alive, and eventually Morganna kills her rival.  Black is the
only player who roleplays the entire game, and the roleplays are always
interesting.

On turn 2 we get a very nice introduction to Gor and the characters in his
cast.  Gor's is probably among the most well thought-out bases for a
roleplay in the Tournament, and deserves a read, but it is too long to put
in here.  Like Rhonda, he builds griffins - not one city's worth, but
TWO! 

By turn 3, Gor and Max are trading rhymes.  Says Max:

But I've a thought for him--
[And this surely was a whim.]
"How much will Great Gor *pay*?"
To get more money his way?

Will he sacrifice his flag?
Leave it in a little bag?
Will he give me better odds
Just to feed a few more sods?

It seems a daring ploy 
For the sickly old boy.
I almost think he might....
But he'll have to do the first fight.  :-(

Blue ignores the warning and steals Red's gold ruin (killing a spider and
light cavalry, but condemning his hero and her command item).  This was a
turning point both on and off the battlefield.  Red begins to overwhelm
Blue very soon, but also begins to alienate some of the players with harsh
words.  Black agrees to a deal with Blue. 

Rhonda's response to Max's poem:

> Uh-oh.  Now he's done it.  Rhonda's in a state.
>
> "AUGH!  I can't believe it!  The nerve!  The gall!  MadMax has written a
> so-called 'poem,' and within it, he calls me a *#&*#!  Outrageous!  What a
> nightmare, it's happening all over again!
>
> "I think I'm falling in love!"

Not a turn goes by all game where I don't laugh at something Rhonda says.

Then Red claims he will crush Blue.  Blue suggests to Green and Black that
he will give up his cities to them if they help him attack Red, and Green
agrees!  Black, however refuses, as he hopes to attack Green.  He agrees
to peace with Blue, but pointedly tells his friend that he will be sending
no assistance.  Moreover, he allows Red boats to fill the central sea and
keep Blue from having a secure front.  Blue, it seems, will be left to die
before Red's swords. 

Red does not appreciate the willingness with which Green turned on him,
but agrees not to attack him out of necessity.  This may have been the
pivotal diplomatic moment.  One can only wonder how things would have
turned out if Red had welcomed Green with open arms. 

Turn 5 is hilarious from all sides.  Gor (the character, not the player)
goes missing and his kingdom is split up by his underlings (Lemonhead the
burnt parrot declaring himself absolute ruler over his new republic, the
minstrel taking part).  Civil war ensues until Gor is found again. 

By turn 6, MadMax (Red) has 14 cities and Gor (Blue) has 9.  Gor implies
that if somebody else will agree to fight Max, then Gor will be happy to
keep just two cities at the end, giving the rest to his savior.  Black
sends a query to Green at this point, wondering about the possibility of
halting hostilities to take on a growing Red, but at the same time sends
his soon-to-be-dead hero and demon into Green's territory to sack Green's
griffin city! 

On Turn 8, MadMax muses on what goes through the mind of a warlord in his
position.  His intention might not have been to frighten the others into a
pact against him, but it probably didn't help to say that one of those
things he mentioned is:  "I must take over the world!"  Green takes the
cue and offers an alliance to Black.  Black accepts and says he'll move
against Blue.

On turn 9, MadMax has almost resigned himself to the possibility that
nobody wants to be his ally, but he can't understand the allure of a
Black/Green friendship.  Quite presciently, he notes:  "I'd think the
opportunity for backstabbing between the two of you will be endless." 

Black takes a Red city, even though the two had agreed to avoid
hostilities through turn 10. 

By turn 10 Red has 20 cities, and Blue is down to 3, but the wrath of the
world has turned against Red, as much for what he has said as for what he
has done on the battlefield.  The rest of the war would be a long, slow
fall from glory. Red suggests a treaty with Blue, but that goes nowhere. 
By turn 14, Red accuses the others of colluding in a frustrated and angry
message.  A moderator panel disallows future correspondence from him.

Green now betrays Black (as Red had predicted), and Rhonda and the Drai
mix it up for the rest of the game, though they both also duel with Red.

In the end, Black and Green split the victory with 17 cities each, Blue
has an amazing 10 (he has only 66 total army strength!), and Red has 4.
This game began as a certain contender in the Best Picture category, but
devolved near the middle into mostly angry words and silence.