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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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.
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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.
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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!)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 .
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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.
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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:
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.
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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.
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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.