Leading Commoner in Tournament Missing, Forfeits Match

DATELINE: Khazigur City Green, 20 Bretranel's Month, 12090: Valdos the Mage, a master of magical charms and proprietor of a chain of local magic shops in Khazig and Naarod, failed to show up for his scheduled match yesterday afternoon and has since been declared a missing person.
Heavily favored to win in the previous match against the Council Baroness La'Thena of Volsin, Valdos was seen to begin the match by proffering a red dress and bouquet of flowers, and declaring "I love La'Thena so much!"
La'Thena rejected his advances in a very public way, but Valdos was not above using his mystical arts to charm her into pliability - as well as forcing her to declare her surrender in the match. This ability allowed him to easily best the other commoners in his fighting class and also handle Maphistal of Volsin in an earlier round, though without the romantic overtures.
After the match he was heard to declare, "Everyone betray me, and I'm tired of this whorl! What kind of money, Denny? Let's go eat honk."
At this time foul play is not suspected but suicide is feared. Local authorities and the Varangian Guards are making inquiries into the matter and coordinating the search; anyone with information is obligated to report it to the Varangian Guard. Insiders pointed out to the Post that had Valdos lost the match, bets on La'Thena would have paid out at over 70 - 1.
Today's matches include the local favorite Lord Fandian Faraine of Naugor against Grims Angel of Volsin in a paladin-on-paladin battle that has sold out the Maimonides Arena. Faraine, a military advisor who already keeps quarters with the Autarch's court staff, has previously made it as far as the round of 8 before losing out to Borgor, the Goliath knight from Venen who is also still in the running in this round. Several international combatants from outside the Empire also remain in the mix, and no clear winner has yet emerged though popular support seems to favor Faraine, a champion of truth with an extensive adventuring resume and a symbol of light in what some see as dark times.
Matches will continue at a pace of 4 each day through the end of the week, with the winners this week moving on to the round of 16, which has matches in the Lesser Colosseum beginning on Firstday. The round of 8 and the final 4 will be held in the Greater Colosseum, and the final round will take place in the Khazigur Hippodrome.
The remaining prizes:

• Win this round (round of 32): choice of either 1 unit of scout cavalry charioteers -or- light goblin skirmishers, with equipment, wages prepaid for 1 year, + 6,000 gold
• Win in the round of 16: 1 unit of heavy cavalry, with equipment, wages prepaid for 1 year -and- 1 unit of cannon artillery (10 field pieces), with equipment, wages prepaid for 1 year; + 6,000 gold
• Win in the round of 8: 3 units of medium infantry, with equipment, wages prepaid for 1 year, + 10,000 gold
• Win in the round of 4: 1 unit of battlemages, with equipment, wages prepaid for 1 year, + 11,000 gold
• Win the Tournament: 1 unit of flying cavalry, with equipment, wages prepaid for 1 year; Private, rent-free quarters in the royal suite inside the House Absolute, +15,000 gold

Losers of the matches at this level also receive cash payouts commensurate with the level they were able to reach, starting at 1500 and increasing by 500 for each level up to the championship round, where the consolation prize is much more consoling, at an even ten thousand gold.