PAGE 1 - BASIC INTERACTION


         INFORMATION

  LOOK - View room.
  LOOK <target> - View target.
  
  INSPECT <target> - Inspects the target.  Useful for determining
      weapon quality.
  SEARCH <target> - Closely examines a room or object.

  STATS - View attributes, health, and social standing.
  CONDITION - View wounds.
  SS - Shortcut to view health only.
  SKILLS - View skills
  SKILLS ? - View the commands related to skills
  TIME - The current time, if available.


         SOCIALIZATION

  SAY <text> - Basic talking command.
  SAY TO <target> <text> - Direct your speech at a target.
  LSAY <language> <text> - Speak in a specific language that you
      know.  Check SKILLS to find out which languages you know.
  WHISPER TO <target> <text> - Whisper to a specific person.
  YELL <text> - Yell to anyone within hearing range.
  EMOTE <text> - Free e-moting.


         INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

  INVENTORY - View inventory of items.
  WEALTH - View personal wealth.
  GET <target> - Try to get an item.
  DROP <target> - Drop an item in your hands.

  PUT <target> in <container> - Store away an item in a container.
  WIELD <target> - Wields a weapon or a shield.


PARSER NOTES: When using any command, use "my" to target an item in your inventory
over items in the room you're in.  For example, use "look in my sack" to remove a 
sack in your inventory instead of trying to look in one on the ground next to you.  
Also, multiple items of the same type can be differentiated by using numbers.  
Typing "get 3 sack" will get the third sack in your environment.  Figure out how 
many of an object there are by using the MATCH command:

  MATCH <target>


 PAGE 2 - MOVEMENT

         MOVEMENT COMMANDS

  GO <target> - Goes in a direction or through a portal.
     Valid directions are the cardinal directions (n, ne, e, etc.)
     and up or down.

  N, E, W, etc. - Shorthand cardinal directions.
  
  CRAWL <direction> - If you are kneeling or laying down,
     you can crawl in a direction instead of walking there
     normally.  You may have to do this if your legs
     are injured.

  LIMP <direction> - If you have something that you can use
     as a crutch (a stick, gladius, staff, etc.), you can
     limp in a direction.  This can be preferable to crawlinng
     if you are injured.

  WALK TO <mark> - Takes you to a city landmark automatically
     as long as you are on a main street and have sufficient
     light.

  MARK - Views a list of city landmarks that you can use the
     WALK TO command on.

  MARK <name> - Adds your current location to your landmarks.
     You should only MARK locations that you can WALK TO,
     i.e. any location on a main street.

  FOLLOW <character> - You follow the target character around,
     moving to where he or she moves.  Enter FOLLOW on its own
     to stop following.

  DISBAND - Disband the group of characters that are following
     you.

  GAZE - If you are outside, gazing around will show you any
     nearby landmarks.  This is a good way of regaining your
     bearings.

ADDED NOTES:

- You can also use the GO command with numbers when dealing with multiple exits in 
the same direction.  If you are in a large room with many doors leading to smaller 
rooms to the north, you could enter GO 2 DOOR, GO 3 DOOR, etc.

- If you are out in the wilderness, you can use WALK FORWARD to keep moving in the
direction you are facing.  Change your facing by using the FACE command (FACE 
EAST, FACE NORTH, etc.).


 PAGE 3 - Health and Recuperation.

         POSITION COMMANDS

  SIT <target> - Sit on the target object.  If you type SIT
     on its own, you will sit on the floor.

  LAY <target> - Lay on the target object.  If you type LAY
     on its own, you will lay on the floor.

  KNEEL - Kneel down.

  STAND - Stand back up.

         FOOD COMMANDS

  EAT <target> - Take a few bites out of a piece of food.
  NIBBLE <target> - Take one bite out of a piece of food.
  DRINK <liquid> - Drink some liquid.
  SIP <liquid> - Sip a very small amount of a liquid.

CHARACTER HEALTH:  All characters have three measures of health: Hit Points, 
Fatigue, and Satiation.  Hit points refer to your body's general well-being and are
lost through combat wounds and other ill effects.  Fatigue represents your energy 
and stamina and is lost through any kind of exertion.  Satiation represents how 
well-nourished you are and falls over time when you have not eaten.  

To see these three stats, use the STATS command or the SS shorthand.

You can recover health and fatigue faster when resting, that is when you are 
sitting or laying down somewhere safe.  This is best done in the comfort of a 
bedroom or a bath house.


CITY TIPS: The Riverside Baths

The Riverside Baths is a public bath house which is free to use.  To get there, find
a major street and enter WALK TO BATHS.  You will arrive right in front of the bath 
house.  Go north into the building and head west.   Go down the stairs and you 
should find yourself in a warm pool of water.  Laying down here will recuperate 
fatigue faster than if you tried to rest in the streetside.  There is also a cold 
pool north of Layana, the receptionist.

CITY TIPS: Valeria's Kitchen

One of the most accessible places to get food in the city is Valeria's kitchen at 
the Stone Toga Inn.  Find a major road and WALK TO STONE TOGA.  Head south into the
inn, then through the arch into the kitchen.  Valeria sells excellent mutton and 
pies that will satiate your hunger.


 PAGE 4 - Doing Business

         SHOP COMMANDS

  STOCK - Shows what the shop is selling, and for how much.

  BUY <item> - Buy an item from a shopkeeper

  SHOW <item> TO <shopkeeper> - Show an item to a shopkeeper.
        If the shopkeeper is interested in buying the item,
        he will usually give you an appraisal of how much he
        will buy it for.

  OFFER <item> TO <shopkeeper> - Attempt to sell an item to
        a shopkeeper.

  SAY TO <shopkeeper> CHANGE - If you have sold items to a
        shopkeeper, asking him for change will have him offer
        you the money he owes you.


         REPAIR SHOP COMMANDS

  Note: Some shops are repair shops, which means that the
        shopkeeper may buy OR fix an item you offer him.  You
        can specify which through a dialogue with the shop
        owner.

  Example:

  OFFER GLADIUS TO BIBULUS
    Bibulus accepts a gladius from you.
    Bibulus gazes at a gladius.
    Bibulus asks, "What'd ya want me to do with this?"
  SAY TO BIBULUS Fix the gladius.
    You say to Bibulus, "Fix the gladius."
    Bibulus turns a gladius over, poking and prodding with a
    thick finger.
    Bibulus asks, "It'll cost ya one hundred denars to fix this.
    Ya wanna pay that?"
  SAY TO BIBULUS Yes
    You say to Bibulus, "Yes"
    You count out the appropriate number of coins and hand them
    to Bibulus.
    Bibulus grunts.
    Bibulus laboriously repairs a gladius for you.
    Bibulus gives you a gladius.


         THE BANK

  OFFER <coins> TO <clerk> - Give some money to the clerk to
    save in your bank account.

  OFFER <item> TO <clerk> - Offers an item to the clerk for
    storage.  The bank may store up to ten items for you in
    this way.
 
  WITHDRAW <number> <coin type> - Withdraw some money from the
    bank.  Storing and withdrawing money is free.

  WITHDRAW <item> - Withdraw an item from the bank.  This will
    cost 25 denars for a container with items inside, and 5
    denars for any other item.

  SAY TO <clerk> INVENTORY - Ask the clerk for your inventory
    to have him tell you what is in your bank account.


  For more information about Iridine's currency, see @help money


 PAGE 5 - Fire and Light

          BASIC COMMANDS

  LIGHT <target> - Attempts to light the target.

  EXTINGUISH <target> - Attempts to extinguish the target.

  BLOW <target> - Attempts to blow out a target.  This
        can only be used on relatively small flames, such
        as torches.

      
          USING A LANTERN

  Note: Using a lantern requires oil to be poured into
        the lantern before it can be used.  Lanterns
        and lantern oil are often sold in the same
        shop.

  GET FLASK

  POUR OIL INTO LANTERN
     
  LIGHT LANTERN

   
          USING A STOVE

  Note: Using a stove requires dry branches as a fuel
        source.  Branches can be obtained from the
        wilderness by anyone with skill at living in
        the outdoors.

  GET BRANCH

  PUT BRANCH IN STOVE

  LIGHT STOVE

          USING A PYRE

  Note: To light a funeral pyre, you need at least five
        dry branches arrayed on it along with the
        body and possessions to be cremated.  You also
        need to have a lit torch to start the fire.

  GET BRANCHES

  PUT BRANCHES ON PYRE

  GET TORCH

  LIGHT TORCH

  LIGHT PYRE


  Cultural note:  Modern Iridinians do not bury their
        dead.  Even though catacombs exist in the Old
        City, current beliefs are centered around
        burning the remains on a funeral pyre along
        with some personal items.  Burying the dead
        is considered a curiosity, at best.


 PAGE 6 - Skills Overview

          COMMANDS
 
  SKILLS - Shows your skills sheet.

  SKILLS ? - Shows the syntax for all your action commands.


          KEY TERMS

  Skill - A skill is an overall category of knowledge.
       Examples of skills include One-Handed Swords,
       Pickpocketing or Basic Healing.  Advancement in
       the Eternal City is class-less, so what skills
       you learn generally determine what kind of
       character you will become, in terms of
       capabilities.

  Action - An action is a subset of a Skill.  Actions
       are individual techniques, maneuvers, or bits
       of lore that are associated with the overall
       skill.  For example, Slash, Jab, and Short
       Block are all actions within the skill Knives.

  Rank - Rank is a numerical value showing how adept
       you are at a skill or action.  "Levelling up"
       generally consists of improving your ranks in
       the skills you know.

  Rank Bonus - This is the bonus that your knowledge
       in the skill provides when you attempt to
       perform an action.  This may change over time
       and is heavily dependant on the action's
       difficulty level.

  Skill Points - This is the "experience" you earn
       for performing actions within a skill set.
       Skill points are used to improve your rank
       in actions and skills.

  General Skill Points - Unlike normal skill points,
       GSPs can be spent on any skill set.  They are
       best used for learning entirely new skills.

  Skill Slots - This is the total number of skills
       (not actions) that you can learn.


  Note: Both General Skill Points and Skill Slots
        can be purchased for your character using
        role-points.  To do so, you must first
        exit into the Welcome Area, then use the
        @play command to access the option to
        spend role-points.  Role-points are earned
        simply by playing The Eternal City.  See
        @help role-points for more information.

  Role-playing Tip: NEVER make an in-character
        reference to the numbers on your skill
        sheet.  Instead of saying that you are a
        rank 20 Swordsman, it is better to say
        that you are familiar with using the
        sword.


 PAGE 7 - Training and Teaching


             COMMANDS
 
  TRAIN - Displays the skills being taught at your location.

 This is what you see when you type 'train' in the same room as a
 trainer or someone who is teaching.
 
 
 Gilven is teaching the following skills and actions:
 
                                                Skill Point Cost
 Skills/Actions           Difficulty  To Rank   First Rk / Subsq Rk
 -----------------------  ----------  --------  -------------------
 One-Handed Swords                    100       13 / 6
 
 Sword Stab               average     100       18 / 8
 Sword Overhead Block     average     100       18 / 8
 Sword Sap                difficult   100       20 / 10
 Sword Jab                easy        100       13 / 6
  
 'Difficulty' is how difficult the action is to perform.
 'To Rank' is to what rank the teacher can teach the action or skill to.
 'Skill Point Cost' is how much each rank of the action or skill is, in 
     Skill Points, to purchase. The first rank of a skill or action is
    more expensive than subsequent ranks, representing the initial
    investment of learning the manuever.
 
 You will notice that different actions and skills have different Skill
 Point costs. This is dependant on a number of factors including the 
 skill's placement in your skill slots (the closer to your primary skill it
 is, the cheaper), and the action or skill difficulty.


  LEARN <skill/action> FROM <trainer> - Learn a rank of a
          skill or action from a trainer, presuming you have
          enough skill points.

  LEARN <skill/action> FROM <trainer> WITH <skill point type> -
          Use this format if you want to train using skill
          points from another skill set or general skill
          points.  For example:
             learn Staves from Leda with general
          This will cause you to train up in Staves using
          your general skill points.

  TEACH <skill/action> TO <rank> - Allows you to teach a skill
          or action to other characters.  You can specify rank
          if you want to limit the level of teaching.  You
          must be at least rank 10 (practiced) at something
          before you can teach it.  You can end the session at
          any time by entering STOP.

  LEARN LORE - Displays the lore being taught at a location,
          much in the same way 'train' displays skills and
          actions being taught.  Lore includes such things as
          recipes for crafting.

  LEARN LORE <lore name> FROM <trainer> - Learn the specified
          lore if you have the skill points for it.


 PAGE - Pickpocketing

 General Note:  Being a thief is greatly looked down upon by other player
                characters.  It is in your best interests to keep your skill
                a secret!

      TRAINER INFORMATION
 
 Name:     Gnaarian
 Location: Gnaarian is located in a decrepit old wine shop.  His real business
           is teaching kids of the street some of his learned techniques for
           a price.

           To get there, Walk to the Stone Toga.  Follow the cobblestone road
           west, southwest, south, and west again.  Keep on following it until
           you see an alley intersection to the northwest.

           Head into the alley and go west as far as you can.  Turn south once
           you hit the end.  Gnaarian's shop is in a door to the west.

           Be careful!  Gnaarian's real profession is a relatively well-known
           "secret".  Being seen wandering around that area will cause people
           to suspect you of having pickpocketing skills.  Be circumspect.


      TIPS

 - Find a location relatively out of the way from common traffic.  BAD choices
   include the street in front of the Stone Toga, the entrance of the city
   bank, etc.
 - Search out targets by looking at the crowd.  LOOK FOR a specific person in
   the crowd.  That will pull that person out of the crowd for you to interact
   with.
 - In the beginning, your principle targets will be workers who carry around
   tools that you can sell.  See "Cadmus" in the page describing useful shops.
   If you get hungry, try stealing baskets from servants.  They usually carry
   groceries for their decadent, wealthy masters.
 - Once you learn Slice, you can expand your range of targets.  Slice pouches
   and run quickly.  If you get away in one piece, you will usually have a
   pretty pile of coins for your troubles.

      DEALING WITH THE LAW

 - The constables will always be a thorn in your side.  Once one starts pushing
   his way through the crowd, that's your cue to run.
 - Run! Smart thieves don't stand around to get beaten down.  Make good use of
   the DISBAND command to get rid of people following you.  If you get knocked
   off your feet, stand up quickly to run or try CRAWLing away.
 - Don't get caught too often or an overbearing city justice will order your head
   branded with FUR, the Iridine brand for a known thief.

      DEALING WITH THE GUILD

 - Rack up enough thefts and you will eventually encounter the Guild, in one
   form or another.
 - You can either run from them too, or work with them.  It's rumored that
   Gnaarian accepts notes addressed to the Guild.


 PAGE - Knives

      TRAINER INFORMATION
 
 Name:     Gilven
 Location: In a shop northeast of Bronze Lane.  Walk to Forum Gaeldine. Head
           east down the broad avenue of red cobblestone until you see a
           wide side street branching off to the southeast.  Go in that
           direction.  Gilven through the first door to your east.

 Name:     Dreggo
 Location: Somewhere in Blackvine.  Dreggo can train to a higher level than
           Gilven and may offer a trick that Gilven does not have, however
           he is located far away in Blackvine.  Also, Dreggo demands a
           special kind of payment.


      WEAPON SHOP
  
 Name:     Callia
 Location: Walk to Bronze Lane.  Head east down the road and follow it when 
           it branches to the northwest.  When you hit the square, head north.
           Follow the road east until you see a garishly painted bright red
           door to the south.  That's Callia's shop.


 PAGE 8 - Character Attributes

 Physical Attributes
 
        Agility         Determines a person's ability to move nimbly and
                          with ease.
        Dexterity       Nimbleness of hand and fingers.
        Endurance       General constitution and physical staying power.
        Speed           Quickness of movement.
        Strength        Raw physical power.
        Height          Highs and Lows.
        Weight          Stand toe-to-toe with Lug and you'll see why this
                        might be important.


 Mental Attributes
 

        Judgement       Ability to perceive and assess something correctly.
                          Alcohol and other substances can impair this, as
                          can blood rage.
        Memory          Ability to recall something in the past.
        Perception      The application of awareness or intellect to the use
                          of the senses.
        Reasoning       How quickly and accurately someone can process 
                          information. Affects learning ability.
        Willpower       A person's inner desire, drive, and basic grit.
 

 Social Attributes
 
        Empathy         Ability to identify with and understand the thoughts,
                          feelings, and experiences of others.
        Appearance      Social standards of beauty.
        Charisma        Magnetic charm or appeal.
        Dignitas        Perceived conformity to Patrician social norms.
                          This will only appear if you are of the patrician
                          class.
        Popularity      General popularity with different social groups --
                          A dangerous thing for any man to have too 
                          much of.
 
 Attributes are ranked in the following manner:
 abysmal, very poor, poor, below average, average, above average, fairly
 good, good, very good, exceptional, phenomenal, inhuman


 PAGE 9 - Advanced Combat Commands

       GENERAL COMMANDS
 
   PRACTICE - Toggles practice mode on and off.  While
       in practice mode, you will not deal any real
       wounds in melee combat.

   FIGHT - Use the fight command to adjust how "serious"
       you are in combat.  This is recommended for
       skilled warriors only, who can affort to toy
       with their opponents.  This is also useful for
       teaching someone of lesser ranks.

   
       STANCE COMMANDS

   BERSERK - 200% Offense, 0% Defense
   AGGRESSIVE - 150% Offense, 50% Defense
   NORMAL - 100% Offense, 100% Defense
   WARY - 50% Offense, 150% Defense
   DEFENSIVE - 0% Offense, 200% Defense

   Note: Feint attacks, which open up holes in an
   opponent's defense, are more effective on a
   target which is in the wary or defensive
   stances.

       AIMING COMMANDS

   Aiming for a Specific Part -
       <attack verb> <target> <part>
   For example:
       stab Caesar chest

   Aiming for a Specific Region -
       <attack verb> <target> <high | mid | low>
   For example:
       stab Caesar high


       GETTING OUT OF A GRAPPLE

   Opponent grappling you directly:
       FREE <opponent>

   Opponent's weapon grappling you
       FREE ME

   Opponent's weapon grappling your weapon
       FREE MY <weapon>

   Friend impaled with a spear or bound by rope.
       RELEASE <friend>


 PAGE 10 - Injury and Death


HIT POINTS: HPs are the measure of your well-being.  Once your HPs go below 0, you 
go unconscious.  You are unable to do anything until you recover enough HPs to be 
above 0 again.  HPs recover naturally over time, and faster when you're resting.  If
your hit points go too far below 0, (usually negative max hit points) then you go 
into a coma.

COMA: In this state, your character is close to death but not quite.  After 24 hours,
your stats will begin to degrade, so it's best to try to leave a coma as soon as 
possible.  If your compatriots can bring you to the Hospice coma ward, the Hospice 
can help you recover for a fee.  If no aid is available, you can use up a LUCK! 
point to recover.  Check "luck! ?" to see how many luck points you have left.  You
can purchase luck points using role-points through the Welcome Area @play menu.

In case you are in a coma and you'd like to terminate the character's life, you can 
use the END command to do so.  Be warned, this will be a permanent end to your 
character.


INJURIES: In addition to losing hit points, you will often suffer injuries during 
battle.  Particularly serious injuries may incapacitate certain parts of your body, 
leaving you without use of one or more of your arms, unable to walk, or unable to 
speak.

Bleeding wounds are particularly dangerous because they will sap your hit points 
over time.  It is possible to fall unconscious and go into a coma long after a 
battle because of bleeding wounds.

Consult a healer to tend to your injuries, and let time do its work.


THE HOSPICE: If no healer is available at the moment, you can consult Melilia at the
Hospice.

First, get to the hospice through entering WALK TO HOSPICE at a major road.  Head 
north up through the double doors and keep going until you reach the intersection. 
Go east down the hallway and take the arched doorway immediately to your south.  
You should encounter Melilia, who will tend to your wounds for a fee.

Get her to do this by engaging in dialogue.

  "MELILIA HEAL ME, PLEASE.
       You say to Melilia, "Heal me, please.";
       Melilia asks you, "The total to heal you comes to five denars,
       Would you like me to continue?"
       (y/N)
   Y
       You count out the appropriate number of coins and hand them to Melilia.
       You lie down.
       Melilia says, "Well now, what have we here? Let me take a look at you."
       Melilia examines you carefully, poking and prodding with her fingers.


 PAGE 11 - Out of Character Commands


  TOGGLE-THINK - Turns thinknet on and off.
  THINK <text> - Thinks aloud (note: Thinknet is an in-character channel)

  WHO - Views connected users.
  TOGGLE-WHO - Removes your participation from the WHo list.

  @NEWBIE - Toggles off your newbie status.  (note: Keeping newbie status
            is recommended for new users.  Being marked as a newbie
            helps other players to aid you and discourages unnecessary
            attacks on your character.)

  @AGE - Sets your character's age in the status screen.  This can only
         be used once.

  @REPORT - Fill in a bug report for the online staff.

  @REQUEST - Fills in a request ticket for the online staff.

  @FEEDBACK - Send the online staff your opinion about a game matter.

  PROCLAIM - Try to communicate directly with the online staff.  Use only
             in emergencies!

  Useful help nodes:
  @help role-playing
  @help policies