AC ARMOR "AC" is your armor class. Items often have one of two effects: ac-apply, or "armor". These two are inverses of one another; ac-apply 10 = armor -10; You can get a rough idea of what your current armor class is in SCORE. See also: SCORE # AFK Usage: afk AFK means "away from keyboard". Use this command when you're going afk to get a beer, smoke a cigarette, etc. It simply lets people who TELL to you know you are AFK and might not get the message. Type AFK again to toggle it off. # AGE Age is the game mechanic that measures how old your character is in game terms. Most characters start in their teens and gradually grow older from there. You can see how old your character is in SCORE. See also: SCORE # ALIGNMENT GOOD EVIL NEUTRAL Alignment is the measure of how Good, Evil or Neutral you are, relative to the rest of the world. In effects what kind of spells you can cast, what types of equipment you can wear, whether certain creatures act aggressively towards you, etc. You can see your relative current alignment in SCORE. See also: SCORE # AREAS Yep, there are some, go find 'em. The world is designed to be contiguous; each zone buffing up against another in a logical way. The best way to find new areas is to ask other players, or just go out into the world and explore some. Make sure you are adequately prepared first though. # ATTITUDE ATTITUDES 24 ATTI At level 24, certain high-level mobs start paying a lot more attention to you, in a bad way. Essentially, they "cop an attitude" and attack you. Avoid them, kill them, or be killed. # ASSASSIN ASSASSINS Assassins are cold and deadly killers for hire, whose knowledge of subterfuge, stealth and the Black Arts makes them extremely efficient, extremely deadly opponents. Assassins are found worldwide, although they are usually concentrated in cities. Because of the nature of their work, the assassin class is barred from using shields of any kind. Because of the skill, knowledge, and experience that is required to be an assassin, this class is remort only. Skill list: 1 peek 1 backstab 1 compare 2 blindness 2 sneak 3 steal 3 palm 4 pick lock 4 sharpen 5 hide 5 search 7 appraise 8 circle 9 trip 10 groinrip 12 shadow 15 subdue 16 smokescreen 17 evasion 20 cutthroat 25 disembowel See also: REMORT # AVATAR AVATARS Avatars are the emissaries of the Holy Forces in the land, deriving their awesome power from those entities. Although they can heal and protect like clerics, the reason that the Avatars exist is to strike down the Unholy Forces in the land, and their masters have given them powerful magicks to aid them to this end. Because of the intensity of belief required to be an avatar, this class is remort only. Skills and Spells: 1 turn 1 cure light 2 create food 2 create water 3 detect poison 4 detect align 4 cure blind 5 bless 5 holy ward 6 blindness 7 poison 8 protection from evil 8 protection from good 9 cure critical 10 glyph of summoning 10 summon 10 remove poison 11 holy shield 12 word of recall 13 word of intellect 14 dispel evil 14 dispel good 15 sanctuary 16 heal 22 group heal 23 mass heal 25 invigorate 26 remove curse 27 vitality 29 group recall 30 divine intervention See also: REMORT # BFT 'Bout Fucking Time # BOARDS Bulletin boards are the forum of inter-player communication on the MUD. There are different bulletin boards for different purposes -- for example, a standard mortal board, a board for immortals, a board for fun "social" messages, etc. Naturally, not all players may be allowed to read all types of boards. Type "LOOK BOARD" to see the messages already posted on a board. Type "WRITE " to post a message to a board; terminate a message with a '@' as the first character on a line. Type "READ " to read a post. Type "REMOVE " to remove your own messages. Example: > look at board > write Am I using these boards correctly? [writes the message; terminates with a '@'] > look at board > read 6 > remove 6 See also: MAIL, READ, WRITE # BRIBE HIRE Mercenaries can be hired, the current market rate is about 100 coins. Guards can be bribed; the price varies from guard to guard, but they don't come cheap. To bribe or hire someone, just GIVE coins Examples: > give 101 coins mercenary > give 200 coins guard # BROADCAST BROADCASTS NOBROAD The Broadcast channel displays arena fights live as they happen to the whole world. To turn on/off Broadcast, type NOBROAD. # CASTLE CASTLES On Dark Pawns, castles are a generic term for structures owned and maintained by clans of players. They can be anything from small fortresses to hidden mountain strongholds to a secret back room at the local pub! After a clan has gained sufficent strength and noteriety in the land, they may petition the staff for a castle. Please note that there are no castles available for individuals, or groups of individuals who are not in a clan. &cWhat it all costs:&n Carving your own permenant niche in Dark Pawns is not easy. The following list is a break down of castle features, and their cost. Note that some features may also require a quest to be performed, and that only the basic features have been listed. &cLand:&n An initial investment of 100,000 gold coins buys you the basic set up, which is 3 rooms, an entrance, foyer, and main room. Additional rooms are 75,000 each. Castle locations will be chosen by the gods, though your preferences will be taken into consideration. &cFacilities:&n Lockable doors, grates, portculli, etc. are available for an installation charge of 15k. They come with one key. Additional keys are 10k. Those of you looking for greater security should consider installing a reinforced door, which is 30k and comes with one key. Statues and Fountains are 10k each. Banking facilties are 20k. Informational boards are 15k. Local priests can be called in to bless certain chambers in your castle for 80k per chamber. &cCastle Staff:&n Butlers, maids, slave girls, guards etc, are 1k per level, with a 10k minimum each. Please note that the staff of Dark Pawns cannot take responsibilty for your failure to adequately defend your property. &cAdditional Issues:&n Over time, there will be associated upkeep costs that go in to maintaining your property. These costs will be deducted directly from your clan bank account. &cExample Castle and prices:&n Initial Land: 100,000 Reinforced Door (w/ 1 key) 30,000 2 extra keys 20,000 2 level 30 guards 60,000 1 Butler 10,000 (min) 1 Fountain 10,000 ----------------------------------------------- Grand Total: 230,000 # CHANGE CHANGES Too many things have changed on Dark Pawns 2.2 for them to be listed here. When in doubt, try the help files. If you still can't find what you are looking for, typo it and we'll add it to help asap. Here is a brief list of things that have changed and have updated help files: REMORT, RANGER, MYSTIC, ASSASSIN, AVATAR, PALADIN, MAGUS, DRAGON KICK, TIGER PUNCH, SCOUT,SLEEPER, TRACK, HIDE, KUJI-KIRI, NECKBREAK, CONJURE ELEMENTAL, AMBUSH, WATERBREATHE, FLAME STRIKE, METEOR SWARM, MIRROR IMAGE, SOUL LEECH, LAY HANDS, HOLY WARD, HOLY SHIELD, DIVINE INTERVENTION, MASS DOMINATE, SHIFT REALITY # CITIZENSHIP You can buy citizenship in several cities in Dark Pawns for a small fee. Citizenship allows you to quit out in the safe room of that city and Return there upon re-entering the game. You can only be a citizen of one city at a time. The "safe rooms" in the cities are generally the Temples or common Meeting places of the city. See also: HOMETOWNS, QUIT, REALLYQUIT # CHARISMA WISDOM INTELLIGENCE STRENGTH DEXTERITY CONSTITUTION STATISTICS STATS Statistics affect more facets of the game than can be listed. Heres a short run-down of some of what they affect, and definitions. Strength: How strong you are. Affects the amount you can carry and how Hard you hit. Intelligence: How smart you are. Affects how fast you learn. Wisdom: How wise you are (common sense). Affects how many times you can practice. Dexterity: How nimble you are. Affects how often you hit and get hit. Constitution: How healthy you are, in general. Affects hitpoint gain per level. Charisma: How likeable you are. Affects how some monsters treat you (like shopkeepers), and how many pets you can have. Don't let your statistics get below because bad things can happen. You can see your current statistics with the ABILITIES command. See also: ABILITIES # CLASS CLASSES See help on individual classes: THIEF CLERIC WARRIOR MAGE NINJA PSIONIC There are also six additional remort-only classes: PALADIN, AVATAR, MAGUS, ASSASSIN, RANGER, MYSTIC. See also: REMORT # CLERIC CLERICS Clerics have an ancient belief in not carrying sharp weapons. Hence, they can only wield bludgeoning weapons. This class gives you the wisdom of peace, blessing and healing, though it is possible to learn more violent spells. You can improve your spells by using the practice command. 1 turn 1 cure light 2 create food 2 create water 3 detect poison 4 detect align 4 cure blind 5 bless 6 holy ward 6 blindness 8 protection from evil 8 protection from good 9 cure critical 10 glyph of summoning 10 summon 10 remove poison 11 holy shield 12 word of recall 13 poison 14 dispel evil 14 dispel good 15 sanctuary 16 heal 22 group heal 23 mass heal 25 invigorate 26 remove curse 27 vitality 29 group recall See also: PRACTICE, SPELLS, CLASSES # CODE CODING The source code that runs Dark Pawns was originally based on CircleMUD version 3.0 beta (pl11). It has evolved considerably since then, largely due to the efforts of the following people: dkarnes Derek L. Karnes Serapis stevet Stephen Thompson Orodreth rparet R. E. Paret Frontline # COMBAT Combat is the very essence of Dark Pawns, when it is just the player or players against the mob in the field of battle. To that end, most of the SPELLS in the game are designed to aid you in combat in some way. Combat on Dark Pawns takes the form of standard rounds. During each round, you have the opportunity to hit your opponent, and he or she has the opportunity to hit you. Different things can affect the rounds of combat, of course. As you get higher in level, most classes will gain extra ATTACKS to help you in battle. You may also use the combat skills you gain from leveling in battle, but be aware that some of these skills will "lag" you, causing you to miss rounds of combat. There are also multiple skills to "lag" your opponent. These rounds of combat continue until either the player is dead, the mob is dead, or one of you decides to FLEE from battle. Combat is the chief way to gain experience, levels, and equipment on Dark Pawns. # COVERED COVER GLOW GLOWING HUM HUMMING If you see something in your EQUIPMENT list that has "covered" by it, it means just that: you have another piece of equipment covering it. I.e., gloves cover rings on your fingers. People looking at you can't see items that are covered. Humming and glowing equipment mean exactly what they say, too. The equipment hums (makes a vibrating noise) or glows with a faint light (not enough to see by, but enough to be seen in the dark). # DAMAGE RACE_SLAYER Some equipment is identified as: "Does extra damage to race: " These items, known as race slayers, are both coveted and hated. Although the damage bonus they give is powerful, the user of such weapons becomes hated and marked for death by all members of the target race. See also: RACE # DIE DEATH CONDIE When you die, you come back into the game in the temple. (Unless you own a CASTLE, in which case you come back into the game there.) All equipment and gold remains in your corpse at the place you died. To retrieve your objects, go back to where you died and get them from your body. Alternatively, you could RETRIEVE your corpse from the Mortician. Every time you die, there is a chance you will lose 1 point of CONSTITUTION. If your constitution drops below 1, you will be dead forever. There are places within the game where constitution can be bought. See also: CASTLE, CONSTITUTION, RETRIEVE # "DEATH TRAP" DT A "death-trap" is a place in the world which upon entering you are instantly slain, loosing all equipment. You do not loose EXP for dying in a DT. You cannot RETRIEVE your corpse if you die in a DT. Since hitting a death trap is considered one of the worst fates that can befall a player character, there are no death traps that are hidden or unmarked in Dark Pawns. See also: EXP, DEATH, RETRIEVE # DELETE If you wish to delete your character, you may do so from the main menu, Which is displayed before entering and after quitting the game. # DREAM DREAMS NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARES When you sleep on Dark Pawns, there is a good chance that you might DREAM. Most people in the world consider DREAMS to be harmless, but many mystics and oracles consider dreams to be very important, even prophetic. DREAMS that occur in the Wyldlands are considered especially meaningful. It is rumored that in the magick-rich Wyldlands DREAMS have the power to physically effect the dreamer, in essence, the DREAMS become real. Some DREAMS are known to be savage and twisted in nature. These DREAMS are normally referred to as NIGHTMARES, and like their counterpart DREAMS, are more intense in the Wyldlands. Many adventurers report that their NIGHTMARES are most intense after they have been recently reincarnated. See Also: SLEEP # ENCUMBRANCE WEIGHT ENCUMBERANCE PTS Encumbrance is a three-dimensional assessment of mass, weight, and occupied space. Basically it's an assessment of how difficult something is to carry around. i.e. 2-foot lead pole and a 10-foot wooden pole have about the same encumbrance; the lead due mostly to weight; the wooden due mostly to the awkward length. Encumbrance affects spell casting, and is measured in "points" for lack of a better unit. # EXPERIENCE XP Whenever you kill a monster, you earn experience points. When enough experience points are earned, you raise a level. Things you should know about experience points: * When damaging a monster at low levels, you get experience points. * If you kill a monster of higher level than yourself, you get bonus experience points. If killing a monster of lower level you'll gain less experience points See also: GROUP, SCORE # FLAGS Players sometimes have FLAGS after their names in the WHO list. These flags are always in parentheses, not brackets or braces. FLAG MEANING ----------- --------------------------------------------------------- (CHOSEN) Player is the Chosen of the Gods. (invis) Player is invisible; you can see him/her because you are sensitive to the presence of invisible things. (writing) Player is writing on the board; do not disturb. (mailing) Player is writing mail; do not disturb. (deaf) Player has chosen not to hear shouts. (notell) Player has chosen not to accept tells. (quest) Player is participating in a quest currently being run by the gods. (AFK) Player may be Away From the Keyboard and may not hear anything. (OUTLAW) Player is an OUTLAW. See also: NOSHOUT, NOTELL, QUEST, STEAL, VISIBLE, OUTLAW # GOD GODS The Gods of Dark Pawns are a mysterious lot, preferring to remain obfuscated and mysterious to the mortal population. It is known that they do speak to some mortals, however. See also: WIZLIST, IMMLIST # GUILD GUILDS The Guildhouse is the place where mortals may go to escape the troubles and perils of a cruel world. Each guild is heavily guarded, so that only members may enter the building. Guilds are also the places where people come to learn and practice the skills of their trade. &cGuild locations in Kir Drax'in: (see help MAP for more info)&n &cThieves Guild&n - On the southern wall road. &cWarriors Guild&n - On the Street of Swords &cClerics Guild&n - Inside the Temple of the Cross &cMages Guild&n - On the Street of Wizardry &cPsionic Guild&n - On the Avenue of the Gods &cNinja Guild&n - On the Avenue of the Gods See also: PRACTICE # HOMETOWN HOMETOWNS Your hometown is the city that you have residence in. Being a citizen in Your hometown entitles you to quit there for free. Anyone can quit for free in the Temple in the free city of Kir Drax'in. Other hometowns may require you to pay a fee to become a citizen there. Your hometown is displayed in the SCORE listing. When you recall, you Will recall to your hometown. If you quit out in your hometown, you will start there, if you quit out someplace else (like in Kir Drax'in) you will start there. See also: RECALL, WORD OF RECALL # HITROLL HR DAMROLL DR "SAVING SPELL" "SAVING THROW" THROW SAVING Hitroll, Damroll and Saving Throws are some of the raw mechanics of Dark Pawns. A few brief definitions: Hitroll: Your chance to hit someone during combat, as applied to their AC. Plus hitroll is good, minus hitroll is bad. Damroll: The amount of damage you do in addition to the average per round damage of your weapon. Again, plus is more damage, minus, less damage. Saving Throws: How well your character is protected against certain specialized attacks, like spells, breath weapons, and petrification. Minus saving throws indicates better protection against a certain type. # IDENTIFY IDENTIFIER Ferrenx the Identifer, whose shop is located off of Main Street in the City of Kir Drax'in, will identify equipment, for a price. See also: MAP # IMPLEMENTOR The most powerful being in existence. See also: IMMLIST, WIZLIST # INN INNS CRYOGENIC CRYO RECEPTION There is no Rent on Dark Pawns, so just quit in the Temple in your home town, and your equipment will be saved. See also: RENT, HOMETOWN, QUIT, REALLYQUIT # JAIL GUARDS GUARD CITYGUARD Kir Drax'in Law states that no violence is allowed in the city. Offenders Are thrown in jail for a short period of time -- very short, due to the Number of offenses in a given day. Be warned that cityguards are given leeway to kill offenders in protection of their own lives, and of course are always to rid the city of WEREWOLVES and VAMPIRES. See also: BRIBE # LINK LINKLESS A lot of players have problems with their links to the game. This can be very hazardous to your health in the middle of a battle, of course. I. If your link is broken, you will automatically attempt to flee each time someone attempts to hit you. If you manage to flee, then you will be saved by divine forces, and put in a safe place until you reconnect to the game. II. If your link jams (freezes), you have a problem. The only solution We can give is that you break your link as quickly as possible. By breaking the link you can hope that the above procedure is initiated. Do not try to get out of a fight by breaking link. You will be not reimbursed for any experience or equipment if you purposefully cut your link. # MAGICK MAGIC Magick is defined as the energy field that surrounds the world, giving it existence. Mortals skilled in the magickal arts are able to manipulate this energy to their own benefit, either through sorcery, the violent magick of wizards, or through prayers to an idol or deity spirit, as clerics and avatars do. The civilized world fears sorcery and sorcerers for their destructive powers, but they have no problem with religious magicks. Thus, clerics and other religious powers dominate modern civilization's societal government. See also: WIZARD, CLERIC # "MAGIC USER" WIZARD MAGE MAGES WIZARDS This is the class of powerful and violent magick, but the magic user does not control nature, and can therefore not bless and protect. You can improve your spells by using the practice command. Spell list: 1 flame arrow 1 infravision 2 acid blast 2 detect invisibility 2 detect magic 3 chill touch 4 invisibility 5 burning hands 6 strength 7 shocking grasp 8 sleep 9 lightning bolt 9 blindness 10 detect poison 11 color spray 12 sense life 12 waterwalk 13 energy drain 14 curse 15 fireball 20 hellfire 21 metalskin 22 waterbreathe 24 enchant armor 25 disintegrate 26 enchant weapon 28 globe of invulnerability See also: PRACTICE, SPELLS, CLASSES, MAGICK # MAGUS The Magus represents the extreme power of magickal spellcraft, wielding power on a cosmic scale, able to create, destroy, or shape realities at whim. Because of the destabilizing effect magic has on the humanoid psyche, as well as the intense lifelong training and study, the class of Magus is remort only. Spell list: 1 flame arrow 1 infravision 2 acid blast 2 detect invisibility 2 detect magic 3 chill touch 4 invisibility 5 burning hands 6 strength 7 shocking grasp 8 sleep 9 lightning bolt 9 blindness 10 detect poison 11 color spray 12 waterwalk 12 sense life 13 energy drain 14 curse 15 fireball 20 gate 20 hellfire 21 metalskin 22 waterbreathe 22 fly 23 group invisibility 23 flame strike 24 enchant armor 25 disintegrate 26 enchant weapon 27 ray of disruption 28 globe of invulnerability 29 conjure elemental 30 meteor swarm See also: REMORT # MANA Mana is used when casting spells. You must have a certain amount of mana in order to cast any particular spell. If you do not have enough mana to cast the spell you must rest until you gain enough points to cast. See also: SPELLS, MAGICK # MAP &r[&RKIR DRAX'IN MAP&r]&n NORTH GATE | | O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O | | O O===O===O===O===O===O===O | | | O O MG O | | | | O O==W A==O===O O | | | | O O O===D O | | | | O GB==O AT O O | CS | | | | O | O===C===O ZOO CT O | | | | | | | | O===O===O===O===O===O===O==TS===O===O===O===O===O===O===O | | | | | | | | O CR PX DH O===@ NG PG O | AS JS | BK RO LS | | | | | | | | | WG===O===O===O===O===O===O==MS===O===O===O===O===O===O===EG | | | | | | | | | | | O RS TP CH DG O WS ID $$ JL O | | | O O===LD O | | | O O O | | | O O==SS O | | | O TG O DM HS GB==O | | | | | | O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O===O | SOUTH GATE &r[&RTEMPLE OF THE CROSS&r]&n MG==O QR | | O==AT==O | | IN O &r[&RLEGEND&r]&n BK= BAKERY LS= LEATHER SHOP JS= JEWELRY SHOP AS= ARMOR SHOP DG= DRY GOODS SHOP RS= BARBECUE SHOP WS= WEAPON SHOP MG= MAGE GUILD W= WARRIOR GUILD NG= NINJA GUILD PG= PSIONIC GUILD TG= THIEF GUILD CG= CLERIC GUILD(SEE TEMPLE MAP) D= MYSTICAL DEVICES A= APOTHECARY GB= GUARD BARRACKS AT= TEMPLE ALTAR C= TEMPLE OF THE CROSS CS= COLISEUM CR= CHOSEN OFFICES CT= CRYSTAL TEMPLE TS= TOWN SQUARE MS= MARKET SQUARE EG= EAST GATE WG= WEST GATE DH= DONATION HOUSE(MAKESHIFT) PO= POST OFFICE RO= RECORDS OFFICE @= SUMMONING PLATFORM - PENTAGRAM ID= FERRENX'S IDENTIFY SHOP $$= KIR DRAX'IN BANK LD= KIR DRAX'IN LODGE SS= THE SLUMS DM= THE DUMP HS= HORSE STABLES MG= MORGUE (SEE TEMPLE MAP) IN= INFIRMARY (SEE TEMPLE MAP) QR= QUIET ROOM (SEE TEMPLE MAP) TP= TATTOO PARLOR CS= CUSTOMS HOUSE - BARTER BOARD # MOB MOBILE NPC MOBS Generic term for any Non-Playing Character in the game.. i.e. "monsters". SEE ALSO: ROAMING MOBS # MOONGATE MOON There exists an extraordinary cosmic association between the gravity of The moon and the delicate fabric of time and space. As though pulling the strings of some cosmic marionette, the moons cause radiant moongates to appear on the land below. Step through one of these shimmering corridors of light and you will be transported to a new time or place. Moongates generally appear at locations where fragments of extraterrestrial rocks called 'moonstones' have been buried. There are at least two types of moongates -- blue and red. Blue moongates, generated by moonstones, generally focus on the destinations in but a single world -- the world in which they appear. Red moongates, generated by the powerful Magi of the land, are summoned by magicks, and thus can be opened at any time, even during the day. See Also: TIME ENTER GATE # MUSHROOM Magic mushrooms are created by clerics with the "create food" spell. The mushroom given to new players at the start of the game is edible and not poisonous. # MYSTIC MYSTICS The Mystic is an esthetic, a psionicist who has achieved a level of peace and enlightenment unknown to other mortals. The Mystic is a true master of time and space with his amazing mental powers, and can be quite a deadly foe if enraged. Mystics tend to lead a detached, intellectual lifestyle, but some have decided to use their considerable mental prowess to fight for Good or Evil. Because of the intense training needed to attain their enlightened state, the class of Mystic is Remort only. Powers: 1 mind poke 1 flesh alter 2 psychic shield 3 lesser perception 4 mindsight 5 mind attack 6 chameleon 7 adrenaline 8 levitate 9 mind blast 11 change density 13 dream travel 15 shift reality 16 greater perception 19 dominate 21 cell adjustment 22 mirror image 24 mental lapse 25 psiblast 26 mind bar 28 mass dominate 30 haste See also: REMORT, CLASSES, PSIONIC # FAQ New players: The guard barracks on the Street of Swords is designed to help get you off to a good start in the world of Dark Pawns. Initially you are going to want to try to level just in there and the other newbie areas in Kir Drax'in. (Type HELP MAP for info on getting around the city) Be sure to read the board in the Temple. It contains a lot of information about the game, and current events. You also are going to want to read HELP POLICY (for the rules) and HELP NEWBIE (for any "newbish" questions) ******FAQ:(and the help files to read to find the answers)****** (Words in CAPITALS means type HELP to see the help file) &cHow can I find out my skills/spells I have currently avaiable? &n PRACTICE &cHow can I find ALL the skills/spells available to my class? &n Get HELP on your class (ie: help WARRIOR, help THIEF, etc) &cI'm broke and hungry.. help? &n EAT CARVE If you are just hungry, try the bakery 1e1n of Market Square. &cI'm a psychopath.. help? &n BEHEAD &cWhere's the donation room?&n south, west, south of the temple in Kir Drax'in. &cAre there subclasses?&n No.. but you can REMORT to a different class when you reach level 30. Also, VAMPIREs and WEREWOLVES are available for all races. &cIs there a map?&n HELP MAP &cIs there rent?&n No rent, but you must QUIT in the temple to keep your equipment. If you are a resident of another HOMETOWN besides Kir Drax'in you can quit in that towns quit room (generally, where you started) &cIs there a way to automate things, such as looting corpses and gold?&n AUTO &cWho is this "Someone" person?&n When you see something like "Someone says, 'Hi there.'" That is an invisible person speaking to you. You would be able to see them if you had the DETECT INVISIBILITY spell cast upon you. If it bothers you to talk to an invisible person, you can always request that they go VISIBLE. &cWhat is everyone talking about on gossip?&n You can type REVIEW to get the text of the last 25 gossips, so if you have just logged on you can figure out what has been going on lately in the game. &cI'm so lost! Where do I go to get a good start?&n Well, first of all, type RECALL. That will put you back in the temple of Kir Drax'in. From there, go down and open the door south into the guard training centre. This is where you are going to begin honing your skills and advancing your levels. Killing mobs in the city when you are a newbie is NEVER a good idea, your best bet is to stay down in the centre for awhile. If you get lost, use the RECALL command to put you back in the temple. Also, read the NEWS for recent changes. See also: HELP, HELP NEWBIE, NEWBIE # NINJA NINJAS The ninja is a member of the oriental society of mercenaries; A master of the ancient secret stealth combat style called ninjitsu. They have abilities that no other class can offer. Ninja have no remort class. Because of the stealthy style of their combat, Ninjas are barred from using shields of any sort. Ninjas may only be human. Skills list: 1 strike of revenge 2 kuji-kiri kyo 3 stealth 4 serpent kick 5 escape of the mongoose 5 kuji-kiri sha 7 kabuki 8 kuji-kiri zai 9 kuji-kiri kai 11 tiger punch 12 kuji-kiri retsu 13 subdue 15 kuji-kiri toh 17 evasion 18 kuji-kiri rin 20 dragon kick 22 kuji-kiri jin 25 kuji-kiri zhen 26 cutthroat 28 neckbreak 29 smokescreen 30 soul leech See also: CLASSES # NOBITS The term "NOBITS" is mud slang for "Has no bits". What it means, essentially, is that the item has no special affects to it. It doesn't do anything remarkable. # NUMBER ATTACKS All classes get a chance for a third attack at level 30, warrior and fighter-type classes get it a bit sooner. The chance for second attack is reached around level 15 to 20, depending on class. # OBSIDIAN Obsidian is a spell REAGENT, used in the flame arrow spell. See Also: REAGENT # OUTLAW OUTLAWS You are an OUTLAW on Dark Pawns if you have pkilled or stolen from another player. Outlaws are generally not well liked and are known to be hunted to the death by many blood-thirsty and vengeful adventurers. Note: A player who wishes to become an OUTLAW should think long and hard about the choice, as the consequences for being an OUTLAW are as severe as one might expect. See also: PK, PSTEAL # PALADIN PALADINS The Paladin is the warrior of the church, sent out to further the church interests across the land in a provisional sense. Paladins are also the leaders of the churches armies, and are typically fanatical and deadly fighters who have mastered their art. Because of the large amount of training and religious study that are involved, the class of Paladin is remort only. Skills and Spells: 1 kick 3 bash 3 rescue 4 sharpen 5 detect alignment 5 retreat 7 bearhug 8 berserk 9 track 10 lay hands 12 sleeper 13 parry 14 dispel evil 14 dispel good 15 headbutt 17 slug 20 smackheads 23 charge 25 protection from evil 25 protection from good 30 disarm See also: REMORT # PK "PLAYER KILLING" PKILL PKILLING PKILLER Player killing is allowed on Dark Pawns but, as in life, there can be serious consequences to killing another intelligent being. If you kill another player, you will be flagged as an OUTLAW. OUTLAWS are not well liked by the "civilized" city-states on Dark Pawns, and they are likely to take measures to keep OUTLAWS out of their cities. In addition, some vigilante-type mobs are known to hunt OUTLAWS for bounties, or just for fun. Werewolves and Vampires are not considered "mortal" and thus can be staked without any flagging. Also, there is no flagging for killing an OUTLAW character. Players under level 10 are protected from being pkilled, and they are also prohibited from pkilling. Stealing items from another players corpse is prohibited. The only situation that this is allowed in is with the case of recovery of an item which has been stolen by the killed player. If this is the case, expect to be able to prove it. You may also add a message in your title such as [NPK] or [Peaceful] to show the world that you are not participating in PSTEAL/PKILLING. If you can provide proof that you had this title and someone kills you, let an immortal know and they will avenge you to the highest extent of the Dark Pawns law. See also: PSTEAL, OUTLAW # PSTEAL "PLAYER STEALING" PSTEALING Stealing from other players is allowed on Dark Pawns. To steal from other players, you must be flagged as an OUTLAW. All the gorey details of this flag are listed in its help file. You may NEVER junk equipment that you have stolen from other characters. Junking of stolen equipment represents an irreplacable loss to the character whose item it was. If you junk equipment you steal, you will be removed from the game. If you decide to move stolen items from your OUTLAW character to one of your non-outlaw multis, expect your multi to be flagged OUTLAW. Repeated abuses of this will likely result in your deletion. You can only steal from other players who are +/- 3 levels from you. Stealing items from other players corpses is prohibited. However, if you swipe someone's gear and they kill you and take it back, you've got no room to complain. See also: PK, OUTLAW # PSIONICIST PSIONICS PSIONIST PSIONIC PSIONICS A Psionicist (Psionic) is the master of the mind. The amazing mental abilities of this class can be a very powerful assistant in battle. List of Powers: 1 mind poke 1 flesh alter 2 psychic shield 3 lesser perception 4 mindsight 5 mind attack 6 chameleon 7 adrenaline 8 levitate 9 mind blast 11 change density 13 dream travel 15 shift reality 18 greater perception 20 dominate 22 mirror image 23 cell adjustment 25 mental lapse 26 psiblast 28 mind bar See also: WILL, CLASSES # PUDDLE PUDDLES Puddles are formations of liquid occurring from rain or other liquid Collecting in one spot. They dry up and disappear after a short time, or after their contents are consumed. # RACE RACES Your race is pretty much class independent; Certain things are affected, Such as: The type of terrain you survive best in: RAKSHASA: desert MINOTAUR: forest ELF: forest DWARF: mountains KENDER: fairly good everywhere. HUMAN: fairly good everywhere. SSAUR: swamp Magick resistance: Elves and Dwarves are a bit heartier in this area. Attitudes: Humans abound, so they are often suspicious of other races and give preferential treatment to their own kind. Kenders have a tendency to 'acquire' things unwittingly, and make excellent thieves. Each race has its own language. See also: RSAY MINOTAUR RAKSHASA ELF DWARF KENDER HUMAN SSAUR # DWARF Dwarves are a noble race of demihumans who dwell under the earth, forging great cities and waging massive wars against the forces of chaos and evil. Dwarves also have much in common with the rocks and gems they love to work, for they are both hard and unyielding. It's often been said that it's easier to make a stone weep than it is to change a dwarf's mind. Standing an average of four-and-a-half feet tall, dwarves tend to be stocky and muscular. They have ruddy cheeks and bright eyes. Their skin is typically deep tan or light brown. Their hair is usually black, gray, or brown, and worn long, though not long enough to impair vision in any way. They favor long beards and mustaches as well. See also: RACES # ELF Though their lives span several human generations, elves appear at first glance to be frail when compared to man, due to their delicate and finely chiseled features. Elves have very pale complexions, which is odd because they spend a great deal of time outdoors. They tend to be slim, almost fragile, standing on average between five-and-a-half to over seven feet tall. Though they are not as sturdy as humans, elves are much more agile. Elves have learned that it is very important to understand the creatures, Both good and evil, that share their forest homes. See also: RACES # HUMAN Humans are the most common race on this world, and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The appearance of humans are not the only thing that varies about them, though, some are evil as sin, while others are good as good can be, but most you shall find on your adventures are neutral, and will just mind their own business and pay no attention to the affairs of adventurers. Also, humans are the only race that can become ninjas, the dangerous oriental mercenaries. They adapt easily to most climates, allowing them to build cities in almost any location. See also: RACES # KENDER Kender are small, kind, but somewhat annoying, elf-like beings that have recently spread across the globe. They do not seem to have any sort of kingdom and most are found just wandering throughout the lands, exploring. Although some are trained thieves, the whole of the kender race seems to have a knack for stealing, and occasionally, without even noticing it sometimes, they have been known to steal from friends and enemies alike. They act much like humans, but four things make a kender's personality drastically different from that of a typical human. Kender are utterly fearless, insatiably curious, unstoppably mobile and independent, and will pick up anything that is not nailed down. See also: RACE # MINOTAUR Minotaurs are either cursed humans or the offspring of minotaurs and humans. They are usually found dwelling in underground labyrinths, for they seem to have an innate ability to maneuver in these places, and do not often lose their sense of direction. Minotaurs are huge, well over seven feet tall, and their broad bodies ripple with muscles. They have the head of a bull but the body of a human male, there have been accounts of female minotaurs, but they are rare. The color of their fur ranges from brown to black, while their body coloring varies, as would a normal humans. Although they usually dwell in mazes beneath the earth, it is noted that they also see very well in forests. See also: RACES # RAKSHASA Rakshasas are a race of malevolent spirits encased in flesh that hunt and torment humanity. No one knows where these creatures originate, some say they are the embodiment of nightmares. The only way to describe their form is that they are humanoid tigers, with hands whose palms curve backward, away from the body. Most of the worlds rakshasa are evil, but recently many have decided to stop their tyrannical living and become adventurers, although they still retain their fondness towards the great sandy wastes of their homeland. See also: RACES # SSAUR Ssaurs are a relatively new race in the world. They are a more evolved type of lizardman, and most are more intelligent than their aggressive ancestors, and for that are shunned from the lizardman tribes, and the few that are born into those tribes are cast out almost as soon as they are hatched. Other than the intelligence, they appear to be the same as lizardman, although less evil-looking. Ssaurs spend most of their lives in swamps and marshes, but some have been known to adventure far away from their homes. See also: RACES # REAGENT REAGENTS COMPONENTS COMPONENT Reagents (or spell components) are used to cast (or enhance the casting) Of magickal spells. Some very powerful spells can only be perfected by obtaining the correct components. The reagents necessary for spells can be found throughout the world, and documentation on their use is in various scattered spell books. Reagents for widely known spells can be found at Apothcaries in any major city. # RANGER RANGERS Rangers are the warriors and guardians of the wilderness. They are skilled in tracking and hunting, and make very good guides. Rangers can be found worldwide, in deserts, swamps, or any other type of open, undeveloped land. Rangers hail mainly from races whose cultures are agrarian instead of urban, and they detest the smell of cities and industry. Because of the skill required to master their environment, the class of Ranger is a remort class only. Skill list: 1 kick 2 scrounge 3 bash 4 sharpen 5 rescue 6 first aid 6 retreat 7 bearhug 8 search 9 track 10 hide 11 sense life 12 sleeper 13 parry 15 headbutt 17 slug 19 scout 22 charge 23 ambush 26 shoot 30 disarm See also: REMORT, CLASSES # REIMBURSE REIMBURSEMENT If you loose your equipment as a result of a crash or other game error, a god will most likely reimburse you. To get a reimbursement, simple put something along the lines of "needs to Talk to a God" in your TITLE. Reimbursements are not offered if you are looted by another player, or are looted by a mob. See also: POLICY # REMORT IMMORT REMORTING IMMORTING IMMORTALITY Remorting: Once you reach level 30 (and find the remorter) you can remort, becoming A level 1 again, and you will be a member of a remort class. Remorts gain special bonuses, including some or all of: higher hit-points/mana/moves, no thirst, no hunger, higher statistics, and improved skills. Remorts keep all of their equipment, gold, and statistics. This is the progression chart for first time remorts: Original Class Remort Class Warrior -------> Paladin or Ranger Cleric -------> Avatar Thief -------> Assassin Mage -------> Magus Psionic -------> Mystic There is no remort class for ninjas. Players who choose to remort a second or third time will gain no new remort class, but they will reap the benefits of further increased abilities and other special bonuses. Remorting will raise two of your statistics in the following order: Constitution, Strength, Wisdom, Intelligence, Dexterity, Charisma. When you have "perfect" statistics, you will no longer need food or drink. Immortality: In most cases, immortality will not be offered until you have remorted at least once. Should immortality be offered to you, the details and conditions of godhood will be explained at that time. If you wish to immort, let a god know. Only a certain number of positions are available. See also: GODS, WIZLIST, IMMLIST # SHOPS Shops are places where the adventurer may purchase equipment for his quests, and where he may sell his treasure if he should manage to survive the perils with his life and sanity intact. Many shops trade only in a specific type of merchandise. Thus, a baker may well refuse to buy your armor, even if it is of high quality! To some people, the prospect of obtaining the entire inventory of a shop By murdering the keeper may appear tempting - but beware: The shopkeepers are often rugged, capable men; roughened by years of trading and, indeed, surviving in a world where the only safe prospect is death in the end. See also: BUY, SELL, LIST, VALUE # SOMEONE When you see something like: Someone gossips, 'Anyone want to group?'. or Someone says, 'Hey there!'. This means that the person that is speaking is INVISIBLE to you, you cannot see them for whatever reason. # SPELL SPELLS Spells are cast with the command CAST, in the form: CAST '' Examples: cast 'armor' me cast 'fireball' troll Damage, duration and effectiveness depends on a number of factors, from caster's level, to victim's saving throw. See help on the individual spell names for more information. See also: CAST MAGICK # TANK The tank is defined as "the person being hit by the person you are fighting." See also: COMBAT # TATTOO TATTOOS TATOO TATOOS Tattoos are available from tattooists in most major cities, plus various traveling magi knowledgeable of the art. LIST lists available tattoos, BUY starts the (rather painful) process. Some tattoos give a bonus to statistics, other cast spells (usable once per day). Tattoos are permanent until you die, or removed by a god (via a quest). Due to the magickal nature of tattoos, only one tattoo can be worn at a time. # THIEF THIEVES Thieves are known to have very special qualities, that no other class offers. Their specialty tends to be in the darker, sneakier art. Many of these qualities can come in handy in many situations, such as picking locks. Because of their sneaky nature, the thief class is barred from using shields of any sort. Skill list: 1 peek 1 backstab 1 compare 2 sneak 3 steal 3 palm 4 pick lock 5 hide 7 appraise 8 search 9 trip 11 subdue 15 circle 18 groinrip 20 cutthroat 27 disembowel See also: CLASSES # TITAN These beings have moved beyond mere immortality, and into godhood... See also: WIZLIST, IMMLIST, GODS # TWINK Twink is a state of mind. See also: PAW # WARRIOR FIGHTER WARRIORS Warriors are known to have more strength than the average class. This Makes them better at hand-to-hand-combat, as they possess skills of violence and fighting unequaled by the members of any other class. However, they lack the ability to use magic of any sort. You can improve your skills by using the practice command. Skill list: 1 kick 3 bash 4 rescue 5 retreat 7 bearhug 8 berserk 9 track 12 sleeper 13 parry 15 headbutt 17 slug 20 smackheads 23 charge See also: PRACTICE, ATTACKS, CLASSES # VAMPIRISM VAMPIRE VAMPIRES Notorious for their sharp fangs and aversion to wooden STAKEs and garlic, vampires are night creatures that live off of the blood of others. Any race can become a vampire, either by certain dark incantations or (more commonly) the bite of another vampire. Vampires can be killed just like any other creature (by depleting their hit-points) or by being staked. A wooden stake through the heart of a vampire is a sure-fire death, albeit a risky one... Vampires usually don't take kindly to failed attempts at staking them. A successful stake removes all vestiges of vampirism from the player when they re-enter the game. Vampires can TRANSFORM at night to assume their vampiric form... gaining a substantial amount (up to 2 times normal!) of mana points, based on the phase of the moon. (New moon being the weakest gain, full moon being the largest.) At dawn, the vampire can transform back to their normal shape. While in vampire form, vampires can BITE a victim to drink their blood, or pass on their vampirism. Biting while fighting does damage, otherwise it only causes damage if you fail to bite successfully. A vampire's hunger and thirst at night can only be sated by blood. Cityguards take a disliking to vampires in their cities. See Also: STAKE TRANSFORM BITE TIME # LYCANTHROPY WEREWOLF WEREWOLVES LYCANTHROPE Werewolves (also known as lycanthropes) are part man and part wolf, known for their excessive appetites and superior strength. Werewolves are created by the darkest of magicks, or (more commonly) the BITE of another werewolf. Lycanthropy is almost like a disease, spreading through populations and transforming them entirely into werewolves who soon crowd themselves into extinction by devouring the available food supply -- and each other. Lycanthropes can harness the power of the moon, TRANSFORMing at night to assume their werewolf form. Based on the phase of the moon, the werewolf gains up to two times normal hitpoints (Quarter moon being the smallest gain, full moon being the largest.) Werewolves can not transform if there is no moon in the sky (i.e. in the new moon phase). Although they can be killed like any other creature (by depleting their hitpoints), the quickest way to kill one is with a silver SPIKE through the chest. A successful spike removes all vestiges of lycanthropy from the player when they re-enter the game. Cityguards take a disliking to lycanthropes in their cities. Werewolves have an increased metabolism (get hungry more often than normal mortals) but can eat corpses, even though it's not a pretty sight. Werewolves are forced to TRANSFORM during full moons. See Also: SPIKE TRANSFORM BITE TIME # LEG LEGEND LEGENDS These are gods that have contributed a lot to the world that is Dark Pawns. They have decided, for whatever reason, to move onto new and better things. Respect them, because the rest of the Pantheon does. # CIRCLEMUD C I R C L E M U D 3 . 0 CircleMUD was developed from DikuMUD (Gamma 0.0) by Jeremy "Ras" Elson at Johns Hopkins University's Department of Computer Science. All code unique to CircleMUD is protected under a copyright by the Trustees of the Johns Hopkins University. Many, many people contributed to CircleMUD in one way or another throughout the course of its development. Although it's impossible for me to remember them all, I'd like to extend special thanks to certain people: -- Gekke Eekhoorn, Jeff Fink, Chris Epler, Eric Green, and Chris Herringshaw, and Stefan Wasilewski for extensive beta-testing, bug reporting, and code submissions for Circle 3.0. -- Furry (Alex Fletcher), for single-handedly managing Circle's world files. -- Jean-Jack Riethoven, for porting the code to the Amiga. -- Fred Merkel, Ryan Watkins, Jay Levino, and Sharon Goza, for other code and area submissions for Circle 2.x. -- The DikuMUD folk, and the good old WhatMUD implementors Dave & Justin, for starting the ball rolling. -- Bryan Jolson, Steven Lacher, Cat Stanton, and Naved Surve, for being there in the very early days of Circle's development. -- Bill Bogstad and Tim Stearns, for allowing Circle to exist at JHU CS. ...plus everyone else in the Circle community who has submitted code, areas, utilities, suggestions, and otherwise supported CircleMUD in one way or another. I absolutely couldn't (and wouldn't) do this if it wasn't for all of your help. Thanks everyone! Anonymous FTP: ftp.cs.jhu.edu:/pub/CircleMUD Author's Email: jelson@jhu.edu URL: http://www.cs.jhu.edu/~jelson/circle.html Mailing List: circle@pvv.unit.no Type 'credits' to see the DikuMUD credits. # CREDITS The 'credits' command lists the DikuMUD credits. For CircleMUD credits, type 'help circlemud'. For Dark Pawns-specific credits, type 'help darkpawns'. # DARKPAWNS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D A R K P A W N S 2 . 2 Dark Pawns version 2.2 is the result of over five years of work by many talented people. The current developer wishes to express his gratitude to all of those who have supported him in his development of Dark Pawns, as well those who laid the groundwork for his current work. Pre Version 2.0 Credits: Conceived, masterminded, and skillfully developed by Derek L. Karnes (Serapis). World design and conception by Oddity. Thank you to Bhang, Hardcase, Farthammer, Raven, Commax, Scythe, Skarash, Skullcrusher, Grimmy, and Daniel Muller for their code, ideas, time, areas and general coolness. A special thank you to Nimos for his fantastic areas and insight into mud design. Post Version 2.0 and Beyond: Conception, Design, and Code R.E. Paret (Frontline) Admin Support, Tech Support, Personal Support, and Code S. Thompson (Orodreth) World Design and Implementation R. "Tarrant" Martin (Aralius) Player Administration and Game Theory H. Beckmann (Hulk) Thank you to Delirium, the Dark Pawns playtest crew, Derek Karnes for trusting me with his game, the players for sticking with us through downtime and server changes, Oro for keeping the box up and running and generally being a cool guy, Ara for running the areas aspect of the game so smoothly that I don't have to worry about it (much), Emily for emotional support, Kate for understanding, and last but not least... Dark Pawns was originally based on CircleMUD 3.0 beta patch-level 09, developed by Jeremy Elson. Without Jeremy and the fine example his code was to build on, Dark Pawns would never have existed. Thank you very much, Jeremy. See also: CODE, WIZLIST, IMMLIST # DIRECTIONS &R*All directions are from Market Square in Kir Drax'in unless otherwise anotated.&n &c[Cities]&n Alaozar: 20e5n2e30n Kir-oshi: 16s14w20s4e Haven: Waterwalk required. all east, n2e, follow road south Xixieqi: Waterwalk required. 41s &c[Newbie Zones]&n The Crystal Temple: 2n4e2n, open door The Ender Villiage: 14s4wd Kir Drax'in Stadium: 2n4w2n; up Kir Drax'in Zoo: 2n2e2n Cold Villiage: 11w7n Kir Drax'in Slums: 4se &c[Mid Level Zones]&n Sea Cave Lagoon: Waterwalk Required. 15s28e7s2wswswn King Seilons' Keep: 22w2n Battleground: all south, 28w3n Biodome: Waterwalk required. 43s11en from docks, 3e1n8e- all n til d Mines: all south, all west, 4s10w6n, all east Glyndwr (dirt zone): Waterwalk required. all east, nes2e Orcs: 32w5sd Ogres: 16e7nw2s Volcano: 14w7n3wne4n3w3nenen3en2wn2ene5s3esene6e, pick door east, open door east, (speedwalk) 4 south Swamp of Sadness: Waterwalk required. 18s12e Hell: 15w4nw3n3e Bhyroga: 15w4nw3nw5n2e4n Ice Giants: From Bhyroga Village All north through the gates. M Must be picked or unlocked with worn gate key. Continue to go all north, all east, s (caves=east) &cHardcore Zones&n Ssyzyils Island: From Xixieqi 12e7n5w Arden: Waterwalk required. 32e12n3e2ne Amber: From Arden. es3e3ne3n2unun Elementals: Waterwalk required. 29swsws3w4sws The Grey Keep: 18s30w3s7w2n Desert Grove: 18s30w4s10w4nw8n Desert Tunnels: From Desert Grove. 9w5s, speedwalk south, west Drakaan, Leader of Desert Raiders: From desert tunnels. d2wd2wn2ws3w2n2u2eu4e (he is east) Western End of Tunnels: From desert tunnels. d2wd2wn2ws3w2nuwu7w Dracolich's Layer: From western end of tunnels. 11w7n Paphoset's Temple: From western end of tunnels. 2w3n4en Solomon's Mines: 12s30w4s10w5n2e The Dark Mage's Tower(DMT) DMT - Main Portal Room: 14w7n3wnw4nw5ne3nw Must kill ice mage to get key, or pick door. 2n The Dark Mage: wse3sne2swse2s4e (he is north) Apprentice Mage: wse3sne2swse2s2n (he is north) Chess Board: wse3sne2swses The Statue Garden: wse3sne2se The Reflection Pool: wse3sne2s3wnw The Demon Kchz: 2nwswnwnswnwss (he is west) &RDRAGONS&n &cKaedrien, the &CIce&c Dragon&n: From the northern gate of Bhyroga. all north, all west, down, 3 north, up &yShax'in, the Brown Dragon&n: 18s30w4s8ws2wd &YXedent, Brass dragon&n: 18 south, 30 west, 5 south, 12 west, 8 north, 5 east &BNixith, the Blue dragon&n: From western end of tunnels in desert. 2w7s8wd # ROAMING MOBS There are a number of mobs that roam the Wyldlands of Dark Pawns. Some of these are very powerful and some are very powerful AND angry. Once they taste your blood they will hunt you down until you are dead or pass over a body of water to a new continent. Here is a list of roaming mobs that will kill you no matter what your level. They will loot your stinkin corpse and wear all of your equipment. They're sorted by Most Terryfying to Lesser: Locusta, the horrifying (Backstabber) The Dread Rabbit of Caerbannog The Chaotic Nyarlathotep Ardraum the Vengeful Pyros, the Daemon Lord the Behemoth Adonis, Paladin of the Moonshear Here is a list of mobs that will do the same, accept only if you are level 24 or higher: Death Pesitlence War Famine The Black Cloaked Wanderer Dracula Anastatia Dag, the barbarian The Shambler The Elven Avenger SEE ALSO: MOB, ATTI # $