Welcome to StrangeMUD! For further information about this world and how best to survive in it, see help on the capitalized words below, and be sure to read the rules of the world using the POLICY command. Getting Started: Classes and Guilds When you create a character, you are asked to select a CLASS for yourself. The four primary classes are WARRIOR, THIEF, CLERIC, and MAGE (or MAGIC USER). Each class has its own strengths and handicaps, and you may create several different characters of different classes to find which class, if any, you prefer. Having more than one character is perfectly legal, as long as you don't log them on simultaneously, a practice which is known as MULTIPLAYING. (This is acceptable on some muds, but not on this one.) Use the LISTSKILLS command to find out the skills your class can use and at what level. If you need information on an individual skill or spell, type HELP or HELP and you will access a help file specifically written for that skill or spell. You can use your character to kill MOBS and gain EXPERIENCE POINTS (XP), gold, and equipment (eq). Once you gain enough xp, you'll be able to GAIN a LEVEL. In order to do this, you must find the GUILD for your class and learn from your GUILDMASTER. After you gain your level, you may PRACTICE your skills and spells... practice makes perfect! :) StrangeMUD has recently diversified its class options. Now players may play 30 levels in primary classes, 30 levels in remort classes, and an added 15 levels past level 30 in specialized classes. For more detailed information about these classes and their capabilities, see HELP REMORT and HELP SPEC. First Things First: Getting Dressed All new characters start their first playing session in the temple, a peaceful place where resting and socializing are completely safe. When you enter the game, you'll be naked (woo woo ;), which means you're carrying all your equipment. To see what you're carrying, use the INVENTORY command. You can WEAR individual items one by one, or put everything on at once by typing 'wear all'. To begin using your weapon, use the WIELD command, and to use a light source or a hand-held item, use GRAB or HOLD. The EQUIPMENT command will show you what you are wearing and holding, and typing LOOK ME will show you your character description (which you can enter at the login menu), your physical condition, your equipment, and your inventory. Typing SCORE will give you more detailed information about yourself, like your HIT POINTS (HP), MANA POINTS, and MOVEMENT POINTS (MV), your age and level, and later on, your ARMOR CLASS (AC), ALIGNMENT, HITROLL and DAMROLL. All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go? Not bloody likely, at least not on _this_ MUD. StrangeMUD has lots of places to go, and is adding new areas all the time. For an idea of how many, type HELP AREAS, which will give you the names of open areas and a difficulty rating for each. At first, you'll want to try Sesame Street, which is especially for players level 10 and below, and the Newbie Zone. Both are located directly north of the temple in Midgaard, as HELP MAP will show you. Stayin' Alive: Eating, Drinking, and Resting Now and then, you may get the messages, "You are hungry," or "You are thirsty." This means your character needs nourishment, and you may find things to EAT and DRINK sold in SHOPS around town. While you are hungry or thirsty, you won't REGENERATE, or gain back, energy. You won't ever receive the message, "You are tired," but when you are traveling, you may see, "You are too exhausted to follow." This means that your character needs rest. You can REST or SLEEP to replenish your hit points, mana, or movement points. Exploring Your World Take a look around you. The LOOK command will give you a detailed description of the room you are standing in, as well as WHO and what are in the room with you. You can get a better view of a player, mob, or object using LOOK or EXAMINE: for example, 'look Rasmussen' would show you what Rasmussen, a player, looks like; 'examine scroll' might show you a better description of the scroll you are carrying. EXITS will show you the obvious exits from the room, but you may have to look in each direction (NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, UP, DOWN) to find closed doors or hidden exits. The AUTOEXITS command will show you obvious exits automatically each time you look at the room. The BRIEF command will eliminate the room description you would normally see, and the commands COMPACT, COLOR, and PAGER are also useful in making your DISPLAY more comfortable to view. Communications There are several ways to communicate with other players in the game. SAY, TELL, and WHISPER are some of the most common, along with GSAY or GTELL. Public CHANNELS are good for communicating with everyone in the game, and provide optional forums that you can toggle on or off. SHOUTing and YELLing are less popular, and written communications exist in the form of bulletin BOARDS and the mud's MAIL system. SOCIALS are also a favorite way of getting a message across. It is worth noting that StrangeMUD has abbreviation capabilities. This means that in addition to general mud commands, you can abbreviate player names, mob names, and object names. You may also refer to yourself as 'me' instead of typing out your full name. Examples: 'l' for 'look', 'sa' for 'say', 't' for 'tell'. To look at yourself, you might type 'l me', while to look at Rasmussen, you might type 'l ras'. Directions are abbreviated 'n', 's', 'e', 'w', 'u', and 'd'. ***NOTE: When abbreviating mob or player names, you should be SURE that your action is directed at the one you intend. For example, if you are grouped with Levi, and about to kill the mob Leviathan, you might want to 'bac levia' to avoid killing Levi!*** Immortals The game has several administrators who oversee game operation, fix BUGS, build AREAS, and assist players with problems. The GODLIST command will show you the names and positions of these people in the IMMORTAL hierarchy. You may not be able to see all of them all the time, but they're there, and they know more than you think. :) If you have a question or comment you'd like to address to the gods, send email to Kel, Official Newbie Helper, at kelspots@gateway.net. Please address all questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this help text via MUDmail to Caila, or send email to ladycaila@aol.com. Good luck! updated 9/25/98 updated 10/15/98