realms logo

Home
News
History
New Player Guide
Areas
Classes
Races
Skills/Spells
Organizations
Immortals
Cry of Despair
Reunion
Contacts
Links
Promoting RoD
Facebook Group
Follow Us On Twitter
RoD map
Realms of Despair New Players Guide

Realms of Despair New Players Guide

INTRODUCTION

Welcome. Your Adventurer's Guide to the Realms of Despair contains much information gathered from the wisest of adventurers who explore the realms. This guide is a wealth of knowledge to aid you in your exploring: stories and advice passed down through the ages and the laws that govern the realms. This is the fourth such chronicle. Wise sages, immortals and mortals alike, translated legends of old from various languages and compiled them into this guide for young adventurers.

Just holding this book improves your adventures in the realms because it adds to your overall intelligence and wisdom due to the advice within. It also helps to protect you from the enemies you encounter throughout the realms. The stories in this book are of adventurers like yourself and provide hints so that you may succeed as they did. Heed their advice and you will grow stronger and gain experience to proceed towards the rank of Avatar, level 50.

With very little variation, this web-based guide is just like the one you get when you begin the game. Words in light blue are words that you can use, with the help command, to learn about concepts and commands. For example, GUIDE, MOVEMENT, or LOOK. In game, you could type: HELP GUIDE, HELP MOVEMENT, or HELP LOOK to read about: using the guide, moving in the game, or looking around for information.

To start using the guide while you are in the game, type: LOOK CONTENTS.

Good luck in your adventuring! May the Gods smile upon you.

CONTENTS

Most sections have their own hyperlinked mini Table of Contents.

STORIES

Exploring

Oh yes... There's much out there, indeed. There's really great places and some really awful critters to behold too. See this scar? I walked right into a dragon's cave. But that's irrelevant, anyway.

I think I was saying that this world is a big place filled with nasty things, but that's what makes the adventure so much fun. When a true adventurer grows too comfortable in his surroundings there's a sort of itch, an uncomfortable urge that drives them onward, makes 'em wanna discover more of the world.

You see, as you learn more and more of the world, sure you discover more of the nasty critters, or they discover you. But you also uncover clues, items, equipment, and knowledge that will help you to survive exploring things that don't even seem possible today!

Explorin's ever so easy to do. As easy as wandering around. Well, it's easier if you keep track of where ya are. Ya see, take Darkhaven: walk completely around it and keep track of all the paths in from the forests, plains, and mountains. You have just done a good bit of explorin'! And if you walk through town, goin' up and down the streets and alleys, noticin' where the shops and businesses and other places of some interest are, then you have explored the town. It's that simple.

Then you combine all that well-achieved knowledge that you learned in the town with what you learned about the paths outside town and you're becoming a good adventurer!. About the town: all manner of activities go on there. And and there'll be times when you are glad to know a safe place to relax after a rough battle or a place to restock your supplies; food and items to heal with in battles.

The more ye look around, the more ye discover and, once you know the town, you'll want to start off down one of those paths outside of town. When you've gone a little way, you have added that much more to your knowledge. You'll know what choices of directions are along that path.

You'll discover what dangers lie along it and, with any luck, you'll discover more things that can be of use to you. Always know where you are. Use the WHERE command to know what your location is named: the AREAS command hints about what level of adventurers might find the area interesting. The areas closest to the city here are fairly safe due to the constant parties of adventurers from the city. However, places of danger are scattered all about, so always adventure prepared.

Have items that HEAL for when the battle turns against you. Have RECALL scrolls to RECITE in case you find yourself too deeply into trouble. Notice the landmarks that you pass so that you can walk back to town or to safety.

Surely as you adventure you'll pass a few trails, leaving them unexplored as you go on to explore another. When you get to a point where you cannot go on, whether it be fierce danger or a simple dead end, you can always return to one of the unexplored paths.

As you continue your explorations, you may gain the items, equipment, or knowledge you need to overcome that previously fierce spot or discover a way to travel beyond a dead end. But surely I'm boring you by now with my stories and ramblings, you're already on the path to becoming an adventurer. Soon you will be buying me an ale and regaling me with stories of your own.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class


Quitting

Journal entry, 2pm, Day of the Great Gods, 12th, Month of the Battle.
I awoke this morn at Sonoria, for reasons unknown to me, with only my coin purse. I managed to get a rune covered bag, some food and a dragonskin easily enough. I'll have to go back through the Academy, pick up some more gear... hope my membership is still current.

Journal entry, 3pm.
Guess I head to the warehouse to beat up something for a small weapon first.

Journal entry, 6pm.
Well, that was a long tedious experience but it's done. I've gone from a wooden sword back up to a claw of the forest bear after a few detours through the warehouse, Tull manor (gawd those two nannies should get together!) Green Forest, Unholy Grounds... on and on, but I've done it.

Well time for a good meal and then perhaps a visit to Shattered Refuge. I hear there are some gnomes there that I wouldn't mind killing. Must remember to SAVE and make sure to QUIT out of the game properly when I stop for the day so that nothing can happen to my belongings without my knowing.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Recalls

This little newbie went to market, this little newbie killed some gnomes, this little newbie DT'd, and this little newbie cried boohoo because it couldn't recall home...

All too commonplace among the newer players to the Realms: recalls don't seem to make it into the containers of today's newbies. Recalls are an important part of any adventuring kit, along with healing POTIONs of some sort, manas for spell-casting classes, as well as other items. RECALL scrolls can be purchased in Poshir's Scrolls on Market Street in New Darkhaven, 2s 3w 1n of DARKHAVEN Square.

So remember... what's one of the first things you stock up on after getting back from an adventuring trip? Recalls!

Happy leveling/exploring.
-Pheayre and the Newbie Council-

Broludzi, struck with wanderlust,
Did so adventure through muck and dust.
Drowned, mangled and hacked,
Burnt, frozen, diced and chopped,
In corpses spread, his equipment he lacked,
Onto channels he went, and to Newbie Council he hopped!

Corners four of the realms they searched,
From Crystalmir west to the desert they lurched,
Till again he had his goods,
With nary complaint or grumble they perched,
Prepared to help again.

The Newbie Council, with advice so true,
Might be able to assist you.
When stuck without hope and you seek someone nice
Type WHO NC and ask one of us for advice.

See Help Newbie Council for more information.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

An Unsettling Encounter

Oh yes, we were all new here once... I believe the term was 'newbies' back when I was one. Running around in there with the other folks, trying to adept the skills and spells you had just practiced. Killing those mobs, tryin' so hard to get that experience so that you could gain a level... Hopefully learn a couple of new skills or spells that would help you get that much further in your progression. Oh yes it was a glorious time, with everything to learn, everything to see, the whole realms waiting to be experienced.

I remember knowing there was great stuff out there, I could hear the talk of adventurers chatting about what they'd been up to. All of us 'newbies' must have known that there was so much to be discovered. I was certain, back then, that if I could just keep at it, kill the mobs around me 'fast as can be', that I'd be ready to go out and be the master of it all 'fast as could be'. Well, let me tell you of one thing that I'll certainly never forget. I found it a little bit too easy to get caught up in the rhythm of running from room to room attacking the mobs as I came across them, I knew about the helpfiles, and HELP KILLSTEAL as I had seen mention of it in the ask channel, but until that day, I'd really not thought about why the laws existed or why they were so important.

In that routine of running through the rooms attacking the mobs, I accidentally ran in upon and attacked a wolf that was already engaged in combat with another young adventurer. I realized that I had made a mistake and was committing the crime known as killstealing, but didn't know what to do. I thought of the possibility of fleeing from the fight but I knew it that would cost me experience, and I valued experience far too much... I hesitated in my state of not knowing what to do. Well, as it turned out, while I stood in hesitation I struck the last blow, killing the wolf. The rightful opponent of the mob, a mage lower in level than myself, had spent quite a bit of time in preparation for that battle and was absolutely furious. I tried apologizing to him immediately, explaining that I knew I had made a big mistake and that I really did not mean to steal others' victories. He wasn't interested in my appologies or excuses, however, and he shouted in public channels his opinion of people like me, using my name and all the other words that he could come up with that he considered obscene or objectionable. It is probably because of his language that it became a scene I'll not forget. Suddenly from out of nowhere, a wizened woman stepped between us, curious to know what the bustle was all about. I realize now that she was an IMM, one of the immortals or gods of the realms, the people who keep our world in existence. At that time, and because of her grand entrance, all I knew was that she must be very important.

She asked what was going on, and since I was already in an interrupted story of apologetic explanation, how I had found myself in the act of KILLSTEALING from the mage, I continued the speech... Allowing her to understand what had caused him to become upset. He let fly with another verbal assault into the CHAT channel about my having a rather unusual relationship with my mother as I tried to come up with a way to word more of an apology.

Suddenly he was silent and all that had been him, standing there before me, disappeared in a flash of hellish light. Well, that was unsettling enough that when she too vanished and told me from afar "You don't move", I didn't ask "For how long?" or question why... I simply complied. Hellish light is really rather awe inspiring, even when it doesn't make people suddenly vanish. I just stood there, I didn't move. Another wolf came in to the room, I was alone with it for a while, but I did not move. I thought about it, I think I could have killed the wolf fairly easily and have gotten the experience, another step toward gaining another level and that had been so important minutes before. It dawned on me that my having been in such a rush to get what was inevitable had really upset the victim of my carelessness, and in turn had caused this IMM to also became upset.

After a short time another wolf came in to the room with me, but I was a little wary still about doing anything... She had made the decision that "I don't move" and I was absolutely willing to prove her right. While the wolf still in the room, another young adventurer came in. He asked "You gonna kill wolf?". Well I thought that was very polite of him, I hadn't yet imagined that people would have the wherewithal for manners in such a hurried world of 'Kill and be killed' adventuring. I said "No, Please feel free." (Trying not to move while I spoke) and he did. And it was nice to have had a pleasant, and polite exchange, even if it was brief. I suppose it was calming for my rather unsettled nerves. With a smile he left, off to clear the area of more beasts.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

She returned. As I stood there, I swear to you, the immortal woman shot down from the sky like a fiery bolt from an exploding star and landed before me, poised calmly as if she had merely stepped from a carriage. I still stood motionless, hoping that she had noticed my adherence to her suggestion. She introduced herself, making sure I realized why she had gotten involved and asked me if I knew about HELP KILLSTEAL and the various LAWS files. Certain that I was in trouble, I told her of the ones which I did in fact know but I had not discovered that typing the word LAWS gave a list of files.

I typed LAWS to see the list and assured her that I would read the files associated with that command. Then, and I kid you not, this entity which had made such unbelievably startling entrances and exits for both the mage she needed to speak with and herself, who could seemingly just be anywhere at once and do anything at all... She smiled at me. I apologized to her for having broken the LAWS KILLSTEAL law but she stopped me saying "You've apologized to the victim very well. He can not speak right now but he has calmed down and has forgiven you". I didn't know what to say, so I began trying to come up with the wording to ask how I would serve my punishment for my crime, or in fact to determine what ever my punishment might possibly be. She however, just said these words to me "Be careful, there's a lot going on around you at all times. Be sure to look after yourself and others, and we'll just have hope that they can do likewise." She stepped into a fold of the sky and was gone.

That was a very long time ago, and although I have seen her wisdom spoken in channels and her deeds done upon our world, I have not seen her since. So, just as I'd made certain that "I don't move", the first time she had gone, since that day I have Been Careful, I have Looked After Myself And Others and have continued hoping that Others Will Do Likewise.

The mage? What happened to the mage? Yes. He was back amongst us 'newbies,' in a short time, he was unable to communicate in any other ways than to just speak to the people in the room with him for a day or two more, but he did return from his punishment and willing to forgive my killsteal. We even grouped together, to help each other get a few better items with which to equip ourselves. He had been to a village of gnomes where he'd found rocks that could make you magically hard to hit, and he showed me. I showed him a manor house where you could find a very sturdy shell of armor that helped your own physical endurance. It was with him, because of that terribly unsettling yet pivotal day, that I learned to slow down. Instead of rushing to attain all that experience, to just acquire all the knowledge that's around you and allow the experience to come easily from the experiences one can find. I no longer strive to be the master of it all, quick as can be, by gaining experience as quickly as possible, I have slowed down and learned to experience what is there for us. Thanks to a woman, an unsettling experience, the broken law and my sentence. Be careful. Look after yourself and others, and we'll just have to hope they can do likewise.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class


Commands

We function in this game through the use of the commands available to us. In game, you'd use the LOOK command to look at this page. There are so many COMMANDS available, that we include here only those that are most important to learn right away.

Following are the comands that everybody needs to understand:
afk areas ask cast consider level
config drop drink/eat exits score wizlist
fill/empty flee/wimpy prompt get/take give where
help/hlist inventory kill laws put password
practice quaff quit/save reply time say/tell
sacrifice equipment compare slist pull/push who/whois
N/E/S/W/NE/SE/SW/NW/U/D buy/sell/list/value open/close/lock/unlock
hold/wear/wield/remove look/examine rest/sleep/stand/wake zap/brandish

You can also list all commands available by typing COMMANDS . Every command has a HELP file. Type HELP LOOK to see the help file for the LOOK command.

AFK Command

With so many players online together, talking with each other, trading with each other and making their plans on what to do, a lot of communication goes on between the characters. You might miss some of this if you get up from the computer to make a pit stop.

The AFK command sets a flag in front of your name so that anybody can see that you are are AFK ('Away From Keyboard') and they won't waste their time talking to you. In addition, any TELLS that people try to send you will let the sender know that you are AFK.

It is a good idea to always AFK whenever you step away from the keyboard. As soon as you type the next command after AFK, your AFK indicator automatically goes away.

Areas Command

The AREAS command shows the list of all of the areas in the game. The list shows the recommended level ranges for each area as well as the enforced level ranges, if any.

You can list all areas in a range (AREAS low high). For example, AREAS 3 7 lists all of the areas with a level range between 3 and 7, and would not include any other areas.

As you explore further and further in the game, it is a good idea to keep track of what area you're in at all times (with the WHERE command) and know what level range is recommended for that area so you can always be prepared.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Ask Command

ASK is a communication CHANNEL. Like others in HELP CHANNELS, Ask may be the most important. It is a great channel to Ask for help on. And! If you keep the Ask channel on, you see questions other people ask and the ANSWERs to them. Monitoring Ask is a great way to learn about what is happening in the Realms and where things are.

The Newbie Council , and other helpers, monitor the Ask channel and often provide good answers to good questions. Simply asking 'HELP!' doesn't do anyone any good, because no one will know what you need: Instead, Ask for the specific help you need and give enough info for people to actually provide it. Ask Help, I'm stuck in the pit in the sewer tells people what the problem is and where. They can ANSWER the information that you need or bring help to you.

Asking questions that you could learn the answer to by simply reading a HELP file might annoy helpful people who see that same question asked too often. There are lots of ways to learn the game: exploring, experimenting, and reading help files are among the best.

For more ways to get help, see help FAQ, and help start . (And seek Guidance in the Academy.)

Cast Command

In order to use your spells, you must first PRACTICE them. Once practiced, you can CAST . Some spells require a target to cast on and some can only be cast upon the caster. Some spells affect the entire room. Each spell has its own help file (HELP SHIELD , for example).

To cast a spell on yourself, just type CAST spellname. For spellnames with two words, enclose the spell name in single quotes. CAST SHIELD to cast it on yourself CAST SHIELD THORIC to cast on a player named Thoric.

For spells with more than one word in their name CAST 'CURE LIGHT' to cast it on yourself. CAST 'CURE LIGHT' LORIL to cast it on a character named Loril.

For more information about each spell, see its help file (HELP CURE LIGHT ). For more information about practice, see the practice command.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Consider Command

The CONSIDER command is a good way to sum up your chances against a mob before actually attacking it. By typing CONSIDER SOLDIER in a room with a soldier, you will get a comparison of your experience level compared to the soldier's and a comparison of your hit points compared to his. With this information you can decide whether or not you want to fight the mob. After considering several mobs, and knowing how the fights turned out, you will be able to better judge how prepared you'll need to be before fighting the new mobs you CONSIDER.

Level Command

As you explore further and further into the game you gain knowledge from new areas and the things you find. As you kill more mobs and different mobs and learn to use your skills and spells, you gain experience points. The experience points keep adding up until you have enough to gain a level.

Type the LEVEL command to see your current level, your current experience, and the experience you need to achieve the next few levels.

Config Command

CONFIG is an important command to learn once you really get into playing the game. It allows you to configure the way your character and the MUD will work with each other.

Type CONFIG alone, to see your current configuration settings. Read HELP CONFIG to learn the individual settings.

The most important ones to learn first are:
CONFIG +NICE (Prevent accidently attacking another player)
CONFIG -AUTOSAC (Prevent accidental sacrificing of corpses before looting)
CONFIG +AUTOEXIT (Shows the obvious exits along with the room description)
CONFIG +HINTS (Gives game tips you won't find elsewhere. Even here!)

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Drop Command

The DROP command is the most common way to get rid of something from your INVENTORY. For example if you have a helmet in inventory, and it is just taking up space and weighing you down, just type: DROP HELMET and it will be out of your inventory and on the floor of the room where it was dropped.

In addition to knowing the drop command, you'll want to read about GET , TAKE , SELL , PUT, INVENTORY and the LAWS: LAWS OBJECTS .

Drink and Eat Command

As you adventure, you will become thirsty and hungry. Always take food and water with you on journeys because you might end up unable to go to a shop or find food.

To EAT food, type EAT . For example, EAT MEAT . Use only one word for the name of the food. If you carry your food in a container (which is a very good idea!) you can EAT it directly from a container with, for example: EAT MEAT bag.

When you are thirsty, you can DRINK as in DRINK DRAGONSKIN if your drinkcon (or drink container) is a dragonskin. You can not drink from a drinkcon from a container the way eat works. You must GET the drinkcon out first, then DRINK .

Drinking alcoholic beverages can make it difficult to move in the direction you mean to. Never chariot drunk or you might lose your charioteer's licence. On a side note, in order to use POTIONS, you must QUAFF POTION , not DRINK POTION. Bon apetit.

Exits Command

The EXITS command shows you the obvious directions you can go from where you're currently standing. And, if the lighting is good enough, can also show room names in those directions.

EXITS will not show some closed exits, hidden exits, or secret exits, so you must always explore the possibility that there is more to a room than meets the eye. Watch for possible clues that are given in the room description. Also, try the 'bump' method: move in a direction that doesn't show in EXITS. Sometimes, this will result in a message like, 'The boulder is closed'.

Score Command

The SCORE command displays all available information about your character. As you advance in levels, more information is added to the SCORE display.

Other ways of viewing your information are the commands WORTH , OLDSCORE , AFF,AFF BY, and STAT ...
Try them all to learn when you might use each one.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Wizlist Command

Type WIZLIST to see a ranked list of the MUD's IMMORTALS. These are the people who work to keep this game running so that we all can enjoy it.

It's a good idea to look at the WIZLIST every once in a while and to get used to their names. I adore the world they have created for us and I am glad they do the work that they do. Let's show them the respect they deserve. If we didn't like what they made for us, we'd have quit playing.

Fill and Empty Commands

Use FILL and EMPTY to transfer large quantities of items in and out of containers. For example, if a room has many items on the floor, and if you have a bag with enough space to hold all the items, type: FILL BAG. The items will be moved from the room into the bag in your inventory.

If there is a chest in a room with stuff in it and you type FILL BAG CHEST , the items will be removed from the chest and into the bag in your inventory.

If you type EMPTY BAG, everything that was in the bag in your inventory will be emptied into the room.

If you use the command EMPTY BAG CHEST, everything from the bag in your inventory will be moved to the chest in the room you're in. If there is no chest in the room, then EMPTY BAG CHEST will transfer the items from the bag in your inventory to the chest in your inventory.

You can EMPTY drink containers to make an empty drinkcon (it can then be filled with another liquid). You can FILL drinkcons at some springs and fountains: FILL DRAGONSKIN FOUNTAIN, assuming that the source is called fountain and that the drinkcon is called dragonskin.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Flee and Wimpy Commands

Sometimes in your adventures, you'll find yourself in a battle that you know you will not survive. There are ways to get away from a fight: you can RECALL with a scroll or the spell WORD OF RECALL, or you can use the FLEE command to try to run away. You will lose EXPERIENCE for recalling or fleeing out of a fight, but it may be your only hope of surviving.

You can set your configuration so that you flee automatically if your HITPOINTS get below a certain level. To set this up, use WIMPY with the CONFIG command to CONFIG +WIMPY . Then, use the WIMPY command to set the level of HPs at which you automatically flee, for example WIMPY 8 would have you automatically start trying to run away when you reach 7 HIT POINTS.

Prompt Command

After every packet of information the MUD sends to your character, it re-sends your PROMPT . This allows you to see your current stats, round-by-round as you adventure.

If you still see the words HELP START on every line, it's time for you to type HELP START to read that file. This causes your prompt to start displaying useful information.

Your prompt displays your HITPOINTS , MANA/BLOODPOINTS , and MOVEMENT . While fighting, you have a FPROMPT ; it looks the same as your prompt unless you change it.

You can customize your PROMPT and your FPROMPT to have them display what you want to keep track of round by round. See HELP PROMPT for ideas and examples. What's important to one person is not always important to all, so your choice of what you include in your prompt and how it's laid out is entirely your own.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Get and Take Commands

GET and TAKE do the same thing. Use them to add items to your inventory. For the sake of space, I will talk only about the GET command.

If you are in a room with an axe and you want to add the axe to your inventory, type GET AXE. The axe would be put into your inventory. If the axe is in a chest in the room, and you LOOK IN CHEST , you'll see it is there. If you GET AXE CHEST, you will GET the axe into your inventory.

If you'd PUT AXE SACK, to get it out, you'd GET AXE SACK. When getting objects from containers, the MUD defaults to a container in the room before containers in your inventory. If you're carrying a chest with your axe in it, but there's also a chest in the room, GET AXE CHEST, will try to get an axe out of the chest in the room and not the one from your own chest.

Corpses work like containers. Once you kill, for example a wolf, you can type GET ALL WOLF or GET ALL CORPSE to loot the corpse. When you die, you must return to your corpse to retrieve the stuff you've collected. The best way to CR is to GET ALL yourname . Using your name instead of the word corpse ensures that you get your own stuff. Then you WEAR ALL , and then GET ALL your name again, until you have it all.
SAVE after getting your stuff and SAVE again when you get to safety. Please read LAWS OBJECTS . You must know the laws.

Give Command

Throughout the game there will be times when it is necessary to GIVE an item to another player or to a mob. GIVE moves an item from your inventory to theirs.

Let's say you want to give Jimmy a jewel from your inventory: you would GIVE JEWEL JIMMY . If Jimmy can carry enough weight and has space in his inventory, the jewel will be put into his inventory.

In the case where you want to give money to somebody or a mob, the command GIVE 400 COINS JIMMY would take 400 gold out of your money and give it to Jimmy. (Type: GOLD to see how much you have.)

See: HELP STRENGTH and HELP DEXTERITY for more information on weight and inventory space.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Where Command

The WHERE command is very useful when exploring. Get into the habit of using it often.

Use WHERE alone to see which area you are in - always important to know so you know when to turn back, or who else is in the area visible to you and where they are.

Use WHERE with a name, such as WHERE PIG to learn whether or not there is a pig in the area with you, and the room name where a pig is.

Always know what area you're in, and check the areas list as often as possible to make sure you're where you want to be.

Help Command

I can't stress enough the incredible usefulness of the HELP FILES. Every command, every skill, every spell, and many other ideas, areas, and subjects are documented with a HELP file.

During your adventures there will be many times when it is necessary to just get some REST to recuperate yourself. These periods of SLEEP are the perfect time to learn everything. If you type the command COMMANDS, you get a list of all available commands. Each has a HELP file, including HELP HELP !

The command HLIST provides a list of every helpfile available in the game, but it is an enormous list. It's much easier to only list one letter's helpfiles at a time. Type: HLIST A for a list of helpfiles beginning with the letter 'A'. Read those ones as you sleep and the time will pass unwasted.
Next time you need to sleep, read the next few. You will finish off the 'A's in a short time and be ready to learn the 'B's. You'll find the game much easier if you know everything you need to know earlier in the game rather than later.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Inventory Command

The INVENTORY command shows everything that you're carrying, but not wearing, and that you can see.

It is possible to continue carrying things that are invisible to you so long as you could see them to GET them originally.

You will find it handy to check your INVENTORY often and can do so by typing I instead of the whole word.

Kill Command

Here's one of the fun commands: KILL . If we couldn't KILL, we probably would quit playing the game and go find something more interesting... like playing with Barbie.

The KILL command is the most basic and common way to start combat in the game. In order to start a fight with a mob , providing of course you are with the mob and it hasn't already decided to start the fight for you, you can type KILL mobname. For example, type: KILL DRAGON and battle will commence.

Using attack spells or certain physical attacks on mobs will, of course, also initiate a fight. You can read the HELP files for various skills and spells as they become available to you.

Of course, you should NEVER use any command or spell to initiate a fight with another player unless you meet the restrictions set out in LAWS PKILL . Be sure, also, to be courteous if someone is already in the room, perhaps already preparing to fight that MOB.

Laws Command

The LAWS command displays a list of many of the LAWS that we players absolutely must know. Take the time to read the laws listed as well as having a look at the pages in this book concerning the laws.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Put Command

Use the Put command to move items from your inventory into containers. For example, if you have a sack in inventory and want to PUT your scrolls into it, type: PUT SCROLL SACK and the last scroll in your inventory would be moved into the sack.

You can also PUT ALL.SCROLL SACK to move all of the scrolls in inventory into the sack.

BE AWARE, however, that the PUT command will try to find a container in the room for you to PUT things in, and if the container is not in the room, it then tries your inventory... Therefore, if you are in a room with a sack on the floor while you have a sack in inventory, when you PUT SCROLL SACK, you will put your scroll into the sack on the floor and not keep it in your inventory! Instead, type: PUT SCROLL MY.SACK .

Password Command

Use the PASSWORD command to change your character's password. Make sure nobody ever sees or learns your password. If you think someone else MIGHT know your password, you should change it right away.
Make your password something you can't forget and not something that someone might guess.

When someone knows the password to a character, that character, its equipment and belongings is as good as their own property and that person might change the password to prevent you from using the character.

Always remember that Password=Ownership. It's very dangerous to share characters even with someone you trust - they might accidently get the character killed when you don't want it dead.

To change your character's password, type PASSWORD New New. For example, PASSWORD NTMID8R NTMID8R to change the password to NTMID8R.

Note that capital and lowercase letters are not the same and must be typed in the correct case when used as part of a password. The password Wilson54 is not the same as wilson54.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Practice Command

Before you can use use your skills and spells, you must learn them at a PRACTICE mob. These mobs are scattered throughout the game. Some are guildmasters and training masters but the first one you will find will be right in the Academy where you begin the real game.

Type: PRAC to see a list of all the skills and spells available to you. It shows the percentage you have learned the skill and, by colour, indicates whether you're still learning in it or have adepted it.

To learn the skill or spell for the first time, you must be at a practice mob that can teach that particular skill. Then, type PRACTICE skillname .

For example, for a one-word skill like STRIKE, type: PRAC STRIKE .
For a two-word spell or skill, type: PRAC 'CURE LIGHT'.
After you practice for the first time, you need to use it to adept it.

See: HELP INNATE for spells and skills you don't have to practice.

Quaff Command

In your explorations, you will find various potions. Potions can contain spells that will be cast on you when you QUAFF the potion.

Let's say the keyword bubbly describes the potion you want to use. You can QUAFF BUBBLY to attempt to have the potion spells cast on you.

You can QUAFF your potions directly from the container that you store them in. If you keep purple potions in a backpack, you can QUAFF PURPLE BACKPACK to quaff one potion from the container in a single command.

Potions have spell levels, and they can fail or backfire occasionally if you have trouble with them.

Quit and Save Commands

The QUIT command and the SAVE command are both very important for ensuring you don't lose the things you've acquired. Always remember to SAVE every time you gain something that you wouldn't want to lose: equipment, items, or experience.

When you SAVE, your character's equipment, inventory, data, and location are saved on disk so that if the MUD crashes and needs to reboot, your character will be brought back at that point with what you had then. When you don't remember to save after getting something that you want to keep, you're the only one responsible for losing it should it be lost to a crash.

When getting your equipment back from your corpse, be sure to save at each round. The corpse will be saved as empty once you empty it, so you have to be sure to save your character as full. The game saves for you automatically at certain times, such as your death or when you give away equipment.

Always be sure to SAVE before you QUIT playing. The mud does SAVE for you, but it won't hurt to be sure. Always make sure to QUIT with the QUIT command. Don't just close the window. If you don't QUIT, it is still possible for you to be killed and then be automatically saved with nothing.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Reply Command

As is explained in these pages and HELP files dealing with CHANNELS , the TELL command is used to communicate directly with another player that is anywhere in the game.

Sometimes you will receive a TELL from a player that you cannot see because they are INVIS or because you are BLIND or any number of reasons. When this happens you will merely see the message "Someone tells you '....'".

Because you can't see their name, you can use the REPLY command. For example, you could: REPLY Who are you? I am blind.

Time Command

As TIME passes in the Realms, day turns to night and back again. Characters age and regenerate lost energy and health. Use the TIME command to see what time it is in the world as well as the time at the server running the game and what time the game started up last.

When the mud recovers from a CRASH , the start up time shown is when the MUD came back up. You can check that against the current server time to determine whether or not the MUD had been down. You do not need to use public CHANNELS asking "Was that a crash?". A few of those and we have SPAM .

Also, certain mobs and shopkeepers only work during certain hours, so the TIME command is useful in determining when to visit them. Vampires learn that some spells only work at night and that they lose blood in the daylight hours. The TIME command helps them decide when and where to adventure.

An hour in realms time is usually about a minute of real life time, give or take fifteen seconds.

Say and Tell Commands

The use of channels is described in the channels section of this book and in the help files for the channels.

Of the more common channels, it is good to know that:

  • SAY will be heard by everyone awake in the same room as you.
  • TELL will be heard by the specified player - Tell Bill Hi and the message 'Hi' will be heard by Bill.
  • ASK and CHAT are Public Channels heard by everyone in the game.
  • Only use public channels when you want everyone to hear you.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Sacrifice Command

To make an offering to your god or deity you can SACRIFICE an object that is on the floor. Your god or deity will almost always recognize the offer by giving you a gold coin.

Once you have devoted yourself to a Deity (at level 5, read HELP DEITIES ), sacrifices may affect your favor level in the eyes of your deity.

Sacrificing an object completely removes it from existance. There is no possible way to ever get a sacrificed object back.

Never sacrifice anything that belongs to someone else (LAWS OBJECTS ) and never sacrifice a corpse from someone else's kill unless they want you to. Corpses can contain items: sacrificing the corpse will remove the item from existance. Sacrificing other people's items is worse than stealing from them because you can not give the item back once you discover your mistake.

Equipment Command

The EQUIPMENT or EQ command shows you everything you're currently wearing, wielding and holding. As you explore the Realms, you will find more and more items. Make sure that you're wearing the most useful items for you.

The COMPARE command compares an item in inventory to an item you're wearing but what the command considers better isn't neccesarily better for what you need.

You should know exactly what each item does for you: IDENTIFY everything you can find. (See Poshir on Market Street in Darkhaven for your magical tablets. This ad paid for by Poshir.)

    Make sure to wear the best items you can find in each of the wear locations:
  • Light
  • Finger(1)
  • Finger(2)
  • Neck(1)
  • Neck(2)
  • Body On
  • Head
  • Legs
  • Feet
  • Hands
  • Arms
  • Shield (if not dual wielding)
  • About Body
  • About Waist
  • Wrist(1)
  • Wrist(2)
  • Wielded
  • DUEL WIELDed (if possible)
  • Held (if not dual wielding)
  • Ears
  • Eyes

Check your EQUIPMENT list often to make sure you haven't lost a weapon from being DISARMed, or had any armor destroyed in battle.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Compare Command

Use the COMPARE command to compare armor class of an item in inventory to the armor class of a similar item you are wearing.

For example, if you COMPARE HELMET , you will find out which item has the better armor class, be it the Helmet in your inventory or whatever you currently wear on your head. You can also COMPARE HELMET HAT to compare a helmet in your inventory to a hat in your inventory.

Be aware that COMPARE only compares the armor class of armors and only compares the weapon damages of weapons. COMPARE is is not useful at all for determining which item will be more useful for the statistics that you might want to improve. COMPARE also does not tell you about any special affects.

The only time compare will give you a useful response is when you're wearing a specific item, and have another of the same item in your inventory. If you compare them you will see which of them is less damaged and sturdier. You should always IDENTIFY everything and know what each item can do for you.

Slist Command

Each class of characters, Clerics, Thieves, Warriors, etc. get a certain set of skills and spells that they can learn at specific levels.

Use the SLIST command to see what skills and spells you will be able to learn. SLIST lists them by the level when each becomes available. It also shows what percentage you need to adept and your current percentage. You could read about MinPos but it makes my toes curl.

SLIST alone shows the whole list from one to 50 and is quite a large list. You can use the command with level parameters to display a shorter list. For example, you can SLIST 2 2 to see only the skills and spells you get at level 2. SLIST 8 10 shows what is available between eighth and tenth levels.

Pull and Push Commands

During your explorations, you will find things, many of which will have an obvious purpose, some of which won't.

Certain objects exist, you will find as you explore, that you can't TAKE . They will sometimes be useless, often items of furniture or trash. Some can provide hints like signs and such.

Some items are levers, buttons and pullchains; they can be manipulated with the PULL and PUSH commands. Think about what outcome pulling or pushing a certain item may have. It might be unwise to be pushing beehives around, while pulling a door knocker near a locked door could reveal something useful!

If it might be a lever or a button, and everything seems to be safe, try pulling or pushing it, you might discover something.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Whois Command

Sometimes you'll want to know who other players are so that you can answer questions in a way useful to someone that level or to know who to ask for help.

To learn about a person, type WHOIS . For example, whois babui . WHOIS lists level, age, organization membership, and much more.

You can list players within a level range. For example, who 5 12 lists all players from level 5 to level 12. who 1 lists every player online (and that's a whole lot).

WHO 51 or WHO IMM lists immortals who are online and available.

WHO NC lists people currently online representing the Newbie Council - a group that helps new players. For example, if you need help recovering your corpse after a death, but you can't get back alone, you can WHO NC and then send a tell to one of them that is On Duty. (For example, tell Mainwarric Can you help me get to my corpse, it's in the Coral Depths area at a merman) .

Note: The WHO command wasn't coded by Pete Townshend. It is not copyrighted.

Directional Commands

To move about in the realms, you use the directional commands. N or North to move to the next room northward, S or South southward, etc. Northeast or NE is often a different move than North then East.

Directional commands use up your MOVEMENT points as you move about. Depending on the amount of weight you are carrying, the terrain you're moving in, and whether you are flying, floating, or walking determines how many MOVEMENT points you use for each move.

Have CONFIG +AUTOEXITS on while you explore so that you know the obvious directions available to you in each room.

But, it's also good to know if there are more exits than the obvious ones. If SOUTH doesn't show in the obvious exits, try LOOK SOUTH and then, if it seems safe, even try SOUTH. Some directions have special names, like a room may have a ladder. If the command UP doesn't seem to work, try typing LADDER or CLIMB or whatever else makes sense. If you're above a water drain and you can't OPEN DOWN , perhaps try to OPEN GRATE . Always read room descriptions. There may be hints about some less-than-obvious exits.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Buy, Sell, List, Value Commands

There are shopkeepers throughout the realms. Some towns and cities have several. Certain shopkeepers are interested in the buying and selling of certain types of items and you may find one interested in something you want to SELL .

To sell an item, have it in inventory then first use the VALUE command... If you want to sell a helmet, go to a shopkeeper and type VALUE HELMET . If the shopkeeper is interested, he or she will tell you how much gold he or she will give you for the helmet. If the deal sounds good to you, SELL HELMET and the exchange will be completed.

Shopkeepers also sell stuff for their profit. To see what shopkeepers have for sale, use the LIST command. If you see something in the list that you'd like to BUY , think of a good keyword for the item. For example, if there is a helmet in the list that you want, use the command again with the keyword. LIST HELMET to get a shorter list: only helmets. Count down from the top of the helmets list to the helmet you want and, for example, BUY 3.HELMET , if it's the third from the top.

Open, Close, Lock, Unlock Commands

There are lots of doors throughout the Realms. Many are open, many are closed. The hinge was invented back in the bronze age by a young apprentice ranger named Thoric (or so the legend goes). Hanging doors on hinges makes them into movable walls that you can OPEN or CLOSE . When closed, they're not easy to walk through so use the OPEN command to make them more inviting.

On the other hand, sometimes you don't want them to be inviting. Like when you want to go to SLEEP and not have a wandering aggressive mob wake you up to eat you. So the CLOSE command is also useful.

Sometimes someone wants to stop you from getting to certain places by having a locked door in the way. That requires you to UNLOCK it before you can trespass. Most locked doors require a key to be used for unlocking. It doesn't hurt to try to UNBOLT it, but most locks are more technologically advanced than that.

If you have the right key in your inventory, and you want to unlock the door to your EAST, you can UNLOCK EAST and then OPEN EAST in order to set yourself up to MOVE in that direction. Sometimes a special exit will be locked and instead of the directional name, you would have to UNLOCK TRAPDOOR or somesuch before you can open it.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Hold, Wear, Wield, Remove Commands

To use some items you find in your explorations, you must have the item "equipped". To equip yourself with an item, have it in inventory. Then, you HOLD , WEAR , or WIELD it.

For example, if you find a helmet, and have it in your inventory, WEAR HELMET to equip it. Type: EQ to see what you're using.

If you wish to take off a piece of equipment, to REPAIR , or IDENTIFY it, or to replace it, you REMOVE , and it goes back into your inventory, leaving its wear location empty. Type: GARB to see all empty wear locations.

HOLD, WEAR, WIELD all do the exact same thing, and you don't really ever need to use more than one command, but it just seems better to WIELD your sword than to WIELD your helmet.

Sometimes, an item can be worn in more than one location! You can WEAR itemname waist if you choose to wear it in the waist location.

Look and Examine Commands

The LOOK and EXAMINE commands can tell you certain things about what you can see.

If you LOOK with no parameters, you will see a description of the room you are in and the obvious exits from the room. If you EXAMINE nouns in a room description, you might find a clue.
If you LOOK DAVID and there is a David in the room with you, you will see his description, and what state of health or damage he is in, and what equipment he is wearing.

If you LOOK HELMET , you will see nothing special if there's nothing special about a helmet either in the room with you or in your inventory. If you EXAMINE HELMET , and the helmet has a description, you will get its description plus you will see whether or not the helmet is in a damaged condition.

You can see the contents of a container called sack if you LOOK IN SACK or EXAMINE SACK. If you want to see what condition a player or mob named David is in without seeing their description or equipment you can use the command GLANCE DAVID .

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Rest, Sleep, Stand, Wake Commands

As time passes and you engage in various activities in your adventures, you'll eventually become tired. If you allow yourself to become excessively tired, you will affect your MENTALSTATE . You could become unable to function.

You need to get rest to stay healthy and, while you rest, your MOVEMENT Points, HITPOINTS , and MANA will regenerate.

The stages of relaxation are, from most- to least-relaxed: SLEEP, REST, SIT ,and WAKE . While sleeping, you get the most-beneficial recuperation, but you will also be the least aware and unable to do many things. When awake, you recover very slowly but are aware of more things around you and you can use most of your commands.

In order to stay asleep, you must not be dying of HUNGER or THIRST .

Zap and Brandish Commands

To use some items you find in your explorations, you must have the item in the "hold location". A STAFF or a WAND is a special "hold item".

To use a wand, ZAP a victim with it. For example, ZAP BAT .
When a wand's charges run out, it explodes into fragments.

To use a staff, just brandish it. For example, type BRANDISH. When a staff's charges run out, it blazes then disappears. Usually a staff's magic will affect others with you. Very kind of you to share!

Who cares that a bot's spells will run out when you can carry magical items with you and use them when you need them? Portable magic!

Read: HELP RECHARGE for related information.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Laws

As with anywhere, these Realms are a society of people sharing a space within which they all live. As such, laws are a necessary means to ensure that society's continued prosperity. Many LAWS are documented so as to avoid confusion.

You are required to live by the laws and so you must become familiar with them. You can list our laws typing the command LAWS . To read a law, type LAWS topic.

Some laws are discussed in this guidebook:

channels pkill stores harassment multiplaying sharing
stake charm objects cheating murder assist
Other Rules

Laws Channels

CHANNELS allow us to communicate with each other. They are a great resource but could become terribly crowded if people were to abuse them.

ASK and ANSWER are useful when you can't find a HELPfile for a problem and can't figure it out for yourself. ASK is monitored by players who like to help people who are learning the game. ASK is a good channel to use if you need help recovering your corpse (HELP CR).

If no one answers your question, don't just repeat it. Repeating in channels is called SPAM . People do monitor channels and if you weren't answered, they may not know! Or they may know that it's something that you should figure out for yourself.

Profanity is not permitted in public channels at all. It's just not necessary. If you choose to swear in private channels, TELL , GT, or WHISPER , that's up to you so long as it doesn't bother the person you're talking to. If, for any reason, someone is upset by language, subject, or insinuation of your comments in any channels, be courteous and stop the conversation immediately.

If asked to stop a conversation or take it to an appropriate channel, it is best to do so. Being asked to stop by anyone is more than enough warning that you shouldn't continue. Immortals can punish you for it.

Laws Pkill

Those who choose the DEADLY path of the pkillers are not bound by all of the same laws as peacefuls, but they do have laws of their own. Pkillers may not MULTIPLAY in any way at all even using another IP or connection. In other words, pkillers may only have one character on the WHO DEADLY list at any time.

Deadlies may not recieve spells from peacefuls, however they can buy and sell non-deadly equipment with peacefuls. You may not attack, steal from, cast aggressive spells on, or make aggressive actions or skills toward any other player unless you both appear in the WHO DEADLY list and you are within five levels of one another.

The WARTALK channel is for deadlies to communicate with each other, and while it is not illegal for deadlies to use other public channels, they shouldn't need to. Deadlies have chosen a solitary life where they should look after themselves.

It is not illegal to attack a naked, LD (Link Dead), or otherwise incapable deadly, but cowardly actions do not bode well amongst one's capable peers.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Laws Stores

The shopkeepers of Darkhaven are protected by a law stating that players will not attack or steal from them. The law exists for obvious economical reasons as well as to ensure the playability of the MUD for those who buy and sell at the shopkeepers. The law applies to most Darkhaven mobs where the LIST command can be used. The law is in effect at all times of the day.

Shopkeepers outside of Darkhaven are not directly protected by this law, and common sense must be used to determine whether or not killing a certain shopkeeper could affect the enjoyment of the MUD for another player wanting to shop at that particular shopkeeper. Being courteous is easy if you use a little common sense.

Laws Harassment

The law against HARASSMENT exists for the obvious reason that there are better ways to solve disputes than harassing other players and better use of the MUD and processor resources than as a tool for harrassment.

If you consider someone's actions to be harassment, they are required to stop when you tell them to. Use the IGNORE command to stop receiving TELLS or other communication from another player.

If IGNORE isn't enough to deal with another player's harassment, or the content of the other player's behaviour is particularely notable, report the incident to an IMMORTAL. Type WHO IMM and tell one of them:
1) Who is harassing you.
2) What they are doing.
3) What you've tried to do about it.
4) Whether or not they've said they would stop.

Harassment is a very serious offence, and the IMMORTAL will be able to help you to get away from it.

Laws Multiplay

MULTIPLAYing occurs when one user is playing more than one character on the MUD at one time.

Multiplay is not in itself illegal, so long as it does not impede any other player's ability to enjoy the mud and none of the characters are DEADLY .

Multiplay is, however, limited to a maximum of eight non-deadly characters online at a time from any one user or group of users sharing a single IP address.

Laws Sharing

Sharing of characters, or the use of a character by more than one player, is legal so long as the character is a peaceful and holds no position of power in any guild or order.

Choosing to share a character is the original owner's own risk. If the second user of the character chooses to destroy, steal or abuse the character, it is their choice and the character will be subject to the same laws as non-shared characters.

It is much safer to never allow anyone access to your characters or passwords. Password = Ownership: if someone who you shared a character with changes the password, you will no longer have access to that character.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Laws Stake

Mobiles REPOP when the area resets. This restocks the area for the next adventurers after others have already been through.

Waiting in an area for a mobile to repop after having already killed it is called staking. It is illegal, unfair to other adventurers, unrealistic in gameplay and punishable.

If you want to wait for a mob to repop AND there aren't any other players around that might benefit from the mob, chances are that you are not going to be punished for staking.

A character staking a mob is not an excuse for a KILLSTEAL . If you feel that someone is staking a mob, it is best to politely ask them to continue on their way. If they still continue to stake it should be brought to an immortal's attention.

Laws Charm

It is illegal to bring charmed mobs into Darkhaven or any area designed to be for lower levels than the area from which the mob came if the mob is either an aggressive mob or one which is likely to join in a fight.

Type WHERE to see what area you're in at any time. Typing AREAS gives a list of all the areas and their intended level ranges.

You are responsible for the actions of any mob you have charmed or purchased. If your mob is attacked and fights or even kills a player, you will be marked with an ATTACKER or KILLER flag and will have to deal with the consequences. Do not allow your mob to get you into trouble.

It is very frowned upon to kill other people's charmies or pets. If someone's use of charm is negatively affecting the other players in an area it should be brought to an immortal's attention. Always get the owner's permission before attacking another player's mobs. Obviously, you shouldn't use charmed mobs to spam or annoy other players.

Laws Objects

Type: LAWS OBJECTS to read about ownership of objects lying in rooms. If one character in a room drops an object it remains their property until they abandon it or give another character permission to pick it up. If a second character picks it up without obtaining the owner's permission, it is stealing and therefore an illegal act amongst peaceful players.

Similarly, if a player enters a room where another player already is, the objects on the floor are to be considered the property of the player that was already with them and the entering player must not take the items without gaining the permission of the owner.

These rules can, of course, be construed to the point where they're not reasonable to abide under certain situations, at which time it is best for all involved to do what's obviously right to reunite separated items with their rightful owner. If ownership disputes do occur, make sure you have tried to do what's obviously right. If an immortal has to become involved it is possible that everybody will lose for wasting the immortal's time.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Laws Cheating

CHEATING is difficult to define, but we all know what cheating is. Cheating is damaging to the MUD as a whole and is absolutely intolerable. Attempting to create any item or GOLD through a BUG of the game or a duplication, knowingly assisting in the creation or duplication of illegally acquired items, buying, selling or owning such items and not reporting the bug to the immortals as soon as possible are all examples of cheating.

Using common sense in regard to what will be considered cheating is pretty easy. If an immortal gets involved in something, his/her decision is final. If you attempt to cheat, you will be harshly punished and possibly lose all access to any characters you play.

Laws Murder

It is illegal to use the MURDER command or CAST an offensive spell on another player unless the following requirements are met.

1) You must appear on the WHO DEADLY list. (Type WHO DEADLY )
2) Your opponent must appear on the WHO DEADLY list.
3) You must be within five (5) levels of your opponent's level.

OR

  • You are in an arena designed for dueling.
  • You have obtained an immortal's permission to partake in a pkill.

Illegally attacking another player either with MURDER or a spell will cause you to be tagged with the KILLER or ATTACKER flag. Illegal pkilling is one of the most intolerable acts a player can commit.

Laws Assist

DEADLY characters (type: WHO DEADLY ) may interact with non-deadlies. However, there are rules concerning how non-deadlies may and may not provide assistance to Pkillers. Although peacefuls may buy and sell items and equipment (Potions and scrolls included), and advise deadlies about where things or people are, peacefuls may not cast spells on deadlies under any circumstances, or use any skills and spells to give any one deadly an advantage over another.

This law can leave a grey area of what may or may not be acceptable. It is an easy law to avoid breaking if peacefuls allow deadlies to help themselves.

Under no circumstances may a DEADLY have more than one character logged on at any time simultaneously with a DEADLY - by any means whatsoever.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Other Rules

There are, of course, many points of courtesy and decency that aren't written laws but can be considered unwritten rules that help keep the game playable.

The MUD exists for the enjoyment of its players - a place where people can interact and enjoy gameplay.

ADVERTISING: There are plenty of venues on the internet to be inundated with unsolicited advertising. If we all try to protect our Realms from going that way, it can continue to serve as a break from commercialism. HELP AD discusses the topic further.

HARASSMENT: It is illegal to try to prevent others from enjoying the game, be it through harassment, cruelty, language or any other method. If you can't enjoy playing the game, you should quit instead of disturbing those who can. See LAWS HARASSMENT

LAWS OBJECTS and LAWS STAKE discuss where many player conflicts arise. If everyone uses common sense to politely allow everyone to enjoy the game, there should be no problems. If an item might belong to someone in the room, don't take it. You can use the Chat channel to say that an item has been found and its owner should contact you. There is a Lost And Found board in the Darkhaven Town Hall where you can report the item.

MOBS: Do not spell up a mob unless you will then kill it. Read LAWS MOBASSIST .

Enjoy the game and help everyone else enjoy it too.

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Appendixes

Here you'll find some simple maps, an armor class list, a note about the author, and notes about the guide's history.

Maps

To assist your exploration of the first town you'll encounter, I have attached some maps.

In game:
To see the Darkhaven map, type: HELP MAP.
To see the Umbrageous Ruins map, type: HELP PKMAP and HELP PKMAP2.

HELP MAP
The map of New Darkhaven

HELP PKMAP
The first map of PKill Town

HELP PKMAP2 The second map of PKill Town -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

An Armor Class Table

------------------------------------------------------
AC | Description
+101 and up | the rags of a beggar (worst AC)
+100 - +80 | improper for adventure
+79 - +55 | shabby and threadbare
+54 - +40 | of poor quality
+39 - +20 | scant protection
+19 - +10 | that of a knave
+9 - 0 | moderately crafted
-1 - -10 | well crafted
-11 - -20 | the envy of squires
-21 - -40 | excellently crafted
-41 - -60 | the envy of knights
-61 - -80 | the envy of barons
-81 - -100 | the envy of dukes
-101 - -200 | the envy of emperors
-201 and lower | that of an avatar (best AC)

Author

Your humble author is a shy Dwarf. (Well, maybe not so much.) You can see his portrait by having a New Player's Guide and typing LOOK AUTHOR.

Acknowledgments

This version of the New Player's Guide could be called 2.2.
2.1 was completely re-written by Stoneheft Gemstone during the week of The Shattering - the completion of an effort begun years earlier by Julie, sadly lost to this and another Realm.

2.0: An exhaustive work by Brittany.
2.1: Stoneheft Gemstone included original works by Shattering Era Newbie Councilors.
2.2: Edited, formatted, and updated by Loril Gemstone-Edelstone with suggestions from NoCtUrNe Sanctum and Babui Babui d'Mortem and commentary from Asterix and Grezelle.
2.2.1: Web version, marked up and lightly edited by Loril.

Much appreciation to many Newbie Councillors past who are not named here. Gone but never really forgotten, their selfless efforts through the years have helped countless new players find their way. Each of you know that I have always been your faithful fan.

/Loril - August, 2008; March, 2011

Contents - Stories - Commands - Laws - Map - Armour Class

Play Realms
Realms Client
Mud Clients
GUI Protocol
Wallpapers
Smaug
Smaug How To...
Herne's Building Guide
Mud Companion
Newbie Council
The Symposium

Server is DOWN!