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Welcome to the '''newbie guide'''. In this document you will find a comprehensive introduction to Achaea. You will not find in depth information on each and every discussed item, but you will find pointers to other sources of information. If you are new to the lands and/or mudding in general we invite you to read on.
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=What are MUDs?=
Welcome to the Achaean '''Newbie Guide'''. Upon this page you will discover a comprehensive introduction to Achaea and its basics. While not every topic is explored in excruciating detail, we will frequently point you to other sources of information if you wish to learn more beyond the basics we explain here. If you are new to the lands and/or MUDs in general, read on!


A MUD (or MUCK, MUSH, MUG, MOO, MMOG, et cetera) is most-commonly referred to in the verbose as a Multi-User Dungeon. In a MUD, you can find interaction with many other players in addition to computer-controlled personas, or denizens, as we like to call them - all in text.  
=What is a MUD?=
The acronym MUD (or MUCK, MUSH, MMOG, etc) is most often expanded to the phrase "Multi-User Dungeon". In a MUD, a player interacts with other players alongside non-player characters - NPCs as they are called elsewhere, though we prefer the term [[denizen]]. That's nothing new on its own, but in a MUD, there are no graphics. Everything is represented by text (often coloured). But how can you play a computer game without graphics?


But how can you play a computer game without graphics? One oft-used metaphor compares the experience of a text-based MUD versus a graphical game to that of reading a book versus watching a movie. Sure, there are no pretty pictures, but  
One oft-cited example is the comparison between reading a book versus watching a movie. Sure, there are no pretty pictures, but you might just find that the world woven with words is more vivid, more complex, and more immersive, and more compelling than any fancy CGI. It is much the same with MUDs. We don't need to worry about graphics or high-tech hardware, so we can focus on quality gameplay and a vast, immersive world.
you'll find that the world we weave with words can be more vivid, more complex, more interactive and immersive, and more compelling than any fancy CGI.


Many of the specifics of this MUD will be delved into enough for you to learn, so we won't go into too many details here.
==First Impressions==
Once you create a character and logged onto Achaea, you will find yourself in a world unlike any other. Achaea takes place in a fantasy environment that combines elements of classical Greece and Rome, medieval Europe, India, and ancient Persia with the elements of a wide variety of player imaginations.


==The Achaea Concept==
It is important to note that as this world is primarily medieval/mythological, you won't find any modern technologies such as computers or television. You will, however, find a host of magical and supernatural tools and abilities to utilise, often in the form of the [[skills]] associated with your [[class]] or unique objects called [[artefacts]].


Once you have created a character and logged on to Achaea, you will find yourself in a world unlike any you are accustomed to. It is important to note that this world's setting is one of medieval ages and, as such, you won't find any modern technologies to role play with. You will, however, find a large host of magical and supernatural circumstances to play with.
Not all players seek to achieve the same things. Two popular ways of [[Newbie_Guide#Gaining_Experience|gaining experience]] are through [[Newbie_Guide#Hunting|hunting]] and [[Newbie_Guide#Questing|questing]]. With enough experience, you can ascend to the [[level]] of Greater Dragon, where you gain the ability to assume the form of a powerful [[dragon]].


Achaea takes place in a fantasy environment that combines elements of classical Greece and Rome, medieval Europe, India, and ancient Persia with the elements of a wide variety of player imaginations.
Some [[quests]] of the lands - many which contain intricate plots and detailed storylines - will earn [[honours|honourable]] and permanent recognition for your efforts. You may also choose to climb the political ladder and become a feared dictator or benevolent ruler of a [[city-state]] or [[:Category:Houses|House]].


In Achaea, there is no one goal that everyone is working to achieve. You can kill monsters and beasts, and a wide range of other creatures and sentients to ascend to the level of Greater Dragon, where you can take on the form of the fierce dragon on your whim. You can toil on quests with intricate plots and storylines to earn permanent recognition for your efforts in that area. You may also choose to excel in politics and become the feared or respected ruler of a city-state or House. You may even make your living as an artist or author in the Fellowship of Scarlatti. You can become a feared warrior or thief, a respected protector and champion, or any number of personas including, but not limited to, the jovial court jester and the skilled magi who manipulates the elements.
There are any number of other paths you might take - master [[bardics|bard]], [[Ivory Mark|Champion]] or [[Quisalis Mark|Assassin]], trend-setting [[:Category:Trade_skills|tradesman]] - and it is up to you to follow that path. Though the actions of others may influence your character, only your decisions will set your true path.
 
The path is open to you, and though the actions of others may influence your character, only your decisions will set your true path.


==Connecting to Achaea==
==Connecting to Achaea==
There are many clients that connect to Achaea. They include browser-based, downloadable, and mobile app versions. The best options to play Achaea include:


There are many methods to connect to Achaea, only a few of which are discussed below.
;The Nexus Client:The official client of Achaea, Nexus runs in a web browser (like Google Chrome) and will work on all internet-ready devices operating systems, including Windows, Macs, and Linux. Mobile users, however, may find it operates with limited functionality. Please read [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/nexus-our-official-client HELP NEXUS] for more information.


===The Nexus Client===
;The Mudlet Client:This is a third-party downloadable client for PCs. You can find this client on the [http://www.mudlet.org MUDLET HOME PAGE]. Once you download it, have it connect to achaea.com and either port 23 or 2003. Both ports work.
<font color="black">
Our new NEXUS client is available [http://www.achaea.com/nexus/play.php HERE].


Once the nexus client is loaded, you have the choice between character creation and logging in. We'll cover character creation later, so for now let's assume you are logged in.
;The Mobile Client:This client works for Android devices. You can [https://market.android.com/details?id=com.ironrealms.ireclient DOWNLOAD ANDROID] or read [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea?what=android&x=Help HELP ANDROID] to get started.


There are five status bars on the bottom, left-hand corner of the client. You may note their meanings below.
;VIP Mud:If you're visually-impaired and use a screenreader, then this free MUD client is fully-accessible including scripting capabilities. You can visit the [http://www.gmagames.com/vipmud.shtml VIP Mud website] for more information.
*<font color="aqua">The first is a light blue arrow, which measures your experience.
*<font color="red">The second is a red heart, which measures your health.
*<font color="blue">The third is a blue water drop, which measures your mana.
*<font color="orange">The fourth is a yellow person, which measures your endurance.
*<font color="purple">The fifth is a purple square, which measures your willpower.
<font color="black">On the top, left-hand corner of the client you can find a compass that indicates obvious directions from the room you are standing in. The eight cardinal directions are indicated with arrows. Stairs to the right indicate up or down. Doors below the image indicate in and out exits.


You can click on the appropriate direction to walk rather than typing them in.
;Other Clients:You can visit the [http://www.achaea.com/info/clients Achaea website] to learn about other third-party clients which could either be free or require purchase.


The client opens in a small window that can not be resized. If you wish to make it larger or smaller, you must first click the <i>detach</i> button in the upper right-hand corner. After doing so, do not close the remaining window, as this will disconnect you from Achaea.
==Character Creation via the Nexus Client==
Character creation in Achaea is easy. Your first step is to click the [http://www.achaea.com/ PLAY NOW] button on the Achaea home page. While you can login with an existing character, the steps for creating a new character are:


For advanced users, you may find alias, macro, and reflex(trigger) functions in the client as well.
===Selecting a Race===
There are a dozen [[:Category:Adventurer_races|races]] from which to choose starting out. Clicking on any name on the intro screen gives a brief overview and lists any racial bonuses.


===Other Methods of Connecting===
The races available to newbies starting out include [[Atavian]], [[Dwarf]], [[Grook]], [[Horkval]], [[Human]], [[Mhun]], [[Rajamala]], [[Satyr]], [[Siren]], [[Troll]], [[Tsol'aa]], and [[Xoran]].


Other methods are preferred by some to connect to Achaea. It can be rather confusing to find one that is above the rest with all of the options available out there, but we do have a short list of favourites we don't mind sharing if it will help you out.
===Selecting a Class===
A [[:Category:classes|class]] distinguishes you from others, offering a set of three [[:Category:Skills|skills]] which allow you to take on any number of identities, including a brave knight, a magical elementalist, or a cunning thief.


When connecting with an external client, connect to www.achaea.com at port 23, or 208.185.247.26 at port 23.
The 21 classes are available to adventurers are [[Alchemist]], [[Apostate]], [[Bard]], [[Blademaster]], [[Depthswalker]], [[Druid]], [[Infernal]], [[Jester]], [[Magi]], [[Monk]], [[Occultist]], [[Paladin]], [[Pariah]], [[Priest]], [[Psion]], [[Runewarden]], [[Sentinel]], [[Serpent]], [[Shaman]], [[Sylvan]], and [[Unnameable]].


*[http://www.zuggsoft.com zMUD] is arguably the best client on the market.
===Selecting a City===
*[http://rhoneware.com/RoAClient RoAClient] is available at no cost and is fairly light while maintaining the offer of numerous functions.
Click on the [[:Category:City-states|city]] name for a one-sentence summary. NOTE: Your choices may be limited based on the class you picked in the previous step. Forest-based classes may only reside with other nature preservationists in [[Eleusis]], and devotion-users can only join other zealous beacons of righteousness in [[Targossas]]
*[http://www.mushclient.com MUSHclient] offers a number of features and boasts a high speed.
*[http://www.gameaxle.com Portal] is a fully customisable client that works in win95/98.
*[http://tf.tcp.com/~hawkeye/tf/ TinyFugue] is a favourite among UNIX users.
*[http://www.wintin.org WinTin] is out there. This writer knows nothing about it but it came highly recommended.
*[http://www.rapscallion.co.uk/ Rapscallion] for Macintosh users is a free choice for those running the Classic OS.
*[http://www.solidsun.com/cm/ Cantrip] is a good client for Macintosh users running OSX and higher.
*[http://sourceforge.net/projects/g-mud/ Gmud] is a free client that offers simplicity, aliases, triggers, and logging.  Good for use with dial-up connections.
*[http://mudconnect.com/resources/MUD_Resources:MUD_Clients.html The Mud Connector] offers a vast list of MUD clients for you to choose from, with information on each.


==Creating a Character==
==Registration==
It is highly recommended that you '''Register''' your character. This is in addition to the email address you gave when creating your character for the first time.


Character creation in Achaea is not a difficult process.
Registration helps you keep your account safe, manage multiple characters on the same account, or reset your password. While registered characters may still be purged, they are not purged nearly as quickly as otherwise.


If you are logging in from the Nexus client, look to the right-hand side of the client for a button for character creation.
Registration will ask for your:
*real name
*e-mail address
*date of birth
*country of residence
In addition to that, we ask you how you heard about Achaea. This tells us where to keep advertising so we can get more awesome players like you.


If you are logging in from an external client, you will be prompted with a numerical list about whether you want to use an existing character(enter your character's name) or create a new character. Simply type in the number associated with creating a new character and the process will begin.
===Character Information===
This section is where you choose information specific to your character including:
; Name:A good name feels fantasy, but isn't from a book or movie. If your name is overly silly, offensive, or sensitive for some other reason, then after your adventures begin you might receive a notice directing you to read [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea?what=names&x=Help HELP NAMES], which offers more information and instructions for changing your name.
;Gender:You may choose to be male or female. The exceptions to this are that all satyrs are male and all sirens are female. ''The gender you choose now stays with you for the life of your character. It cannot be changed.''
;Password:Never share your password with anyone. Your password should be difficult for others to guess but something you will remember. You can read [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea?what=password&x=Help HELP PASSWORD] for more information.
;Email Address: Registering your character helps give Achaea an idea of the demographics of the player base, and gives players ways to keep their account safe. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea?what=registration&x=Help HELP REGISTRATION] explains more about these benefits.


Once you have begun this process, you will be prompted to choose your character's name, race, and sex, then viola: you are an Achaean.
After you complete these sections, click Finish and your first adventure will automatically begin.


===Acceptable Names===
==Achaea Policies==
Before diving in and starting your first adventure, it's worth taking a moment to read the help file (or scroll, as they are often called) [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=POLICYSUMMARY HELP POLICY SUMMARY]. This is a short summary of our Achaean Policies. You can find a full list in the scroll titled [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=15 HELP 15].


When choosing your name, you should keep the following things in mind.
Adventurers who break the rules may be subject to loss of [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=ROLEPOINTS rolepoints] or some other form of [[divine punishment]] up to and including permanent [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=DIVINEPUNISHMENTS shrubbing]. Ignorance of these rules is no excuse for breaking them.


First and most important: <b>If Romeo, Juliet, or one of our Immortals asks you to change your name, then change your name.</b> We don't like to spend our time arguing with you about why Superduperlovechildofdeath is detrimental to the RP atmosphere that we try to maintain. And no, we don't believe you, Superduperlovechildofdeath, when you say this is your real name that your real parents gave you in real life.
The references are provided by the [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/administrators-and-special-administrators administrators] for your own benefit. The vast majority of Achaean adventurers have no difficulty abiding by these policies.


The best name is not a real word. This name is your own creation. It has vowels in all the appropriate places to keep the consonants apart and can be pronounced out loud without seriously damaging one's tongue. It has no nasty words within it, either.
=Initial Quests=
==Escape from Miba==
After choosing a name and race, you will begin your first adventure called '''Escape from [[Miba]]''', an introductory tour of Achaea's basic mechanics. You find yourself in a dark, dank cell which you share with an old man. He explains you've been captured by [[pygmies]] and offers you a way to escape. You can use the SPEEDUP command up to nine times to increase the pace of your adventure.


Words or names you might hear in real life are okay. Not great, but okay. These can include anything from Michael to Fiddler. These names can be improved upon, but are not forbidden if you can't think of anything better.
At this point you may notice some words are in all caps or underlined. For example:
*You can either click the answer, or type SAY YES / SAY NO to select one of the choices.
Words in caps are often an indication that this may be a command you can type. [[Romeo]] and [[Juliet]] often employ the same technique.


More often than not, boasting a poor name will result in being asked to change it. Several things can make a name poor. Read on for more details.
Before you know it, you will have learned how to check your [[inventory]], unlock doors, and fight [[:Category:Denizens|denizens]], like the [[pygmies|pygmy guard]]. Tips will help you learn about selecting a target and using newbie-friendly attacks known as [[brawling]], an ability in the Survival skill which works for anyone regardless of class or race.
*silly names. Omelette is silly. Bourgeois is too. Frop isn't.
*offensive names of any kind, even dictionary words.
*multiple words (thegreatone, slowhead, lordsmith).
*trade or protected names (Cocacola, Microsoft, Nabisco).
*a name from a book, story, song, or game (Drizzt, Nerevarine, Sephiroth).
*any of these above with their letters reversed (Tzzird, Remohlive).
*any of these above with slight variations (Sefiroth, Froddo, Gollom).
*onomatopoetic words (Kerplop, Buzz, Hiss, Ribbit).
*refer to anything in Achaea (Ashtan, Celani, etc).
*names overly similar to existing Achaean immortal names.


Having a forbidden name can result in the loss of your character if you do not change it. Forbidden names include profanity, racial slurs, stuttering letters(bobbbbbb), keyboard jokes(asdf), and those most likely unpronouncable(klzgt).
This initial adventure is short but packed with opportunities to use [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/commandslist basic commands] to help get you used to navigating the realm. Escaping the pygmies teaches you how to:
*look at your surroundings and see items there,
*find directions to exit a room,
*drink [[Elixir of health|health elixir]] from a vial to recover [[Health_(statistic)|health]],
*follow another person to form a [[hunting]] group,
*put things in your [[packs|pack]],
*receive and activate a [[boar tattoo]],
*give things to another person,
*spend [[lessons]] to increase your [[skills]],
*see your current skills and [[abilities]],  
*and learn the basic fighting skills for your [[class]].


One final thing about names: You may see other adventurers with names that aren't in the good or okay categories, and while unfortunate, that can't be immediately rectified in many cases. These names have slipped through the cracks until they became well known, but it shouldn't prevent you from choosing a name that will improve the overall quality of roleplay you, and those around you, experience.
As you can see, you will have a lot of things to learn, but you can progress through the adventure as quickly or as slowly as is comfortable for you.


===Choosing a Race===
==The Cultists' Conspiracy==
After you escape the dungeon, you will find yourself at "Lakeside highway", just outside the newbie land of [[Minia]]. The next thing you'll want to do is look at your [[tasks]], which assist you in discovering the world around you. These tasks will lead you to confront Beku, a meeting which does not end well. You'll have better luck once you reach Level 10.


The race you choose when you first enter Achaea is what you are considered to be born as. There are ways to change your race later, all of which involve reincarnation, but we aren't at later right now, are we.
[[Hunting]] and [[quests|questing]] in the newbie areas are the best way to gain levels of experience. While you can do the tasks and follow The Cultists' Conspiracy quest line at your own pace, it is best to get your tasks and quests done sooner than later. Once you reach Level 21, ogres will prevent you from entering the newbie lands.


Each race in Achaea has statistics. The most average position any statistic can be is 12. Anything higher than 12 is higher than average, and lower than 12 is lower than average. This is not a bad thing - it all balances out.
If you get stuck, then you can always use the PORTALS command to return to the [[Ring of Portals]]. The scroll titled [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=WHATNOW HELP WHATNOW] and the [http://www.achaea.com/newbie-guides Newbie Quickstart Guide] both contain vast number of tips and pointers as well. You might also try and TELL ROMEO <message> or TELL JULIET <message> to speak with them privately, or use NEWBIE <message> to speak on the public Newbie channel.


Each of these statistics means something.
After you defeat the cultists of [[Great Rock]], one of your helpful companions will congratulate you over the [[Channels|city channel]] of your city. If you have completed the required tasks up to this point, defeating the cultists will unlock your city tasks.
*Strength is related to how much physical damage you can do.
*Dexterity is related to how well you dodge physical attacks.
*Constitution is related to how much health and endurance you have.
*Intelligence is related to how much mana and willpower you have, as well as how much magical damage you can do.


Many races have racial advantages and/or disadvantages. Atavians, for example, can fly, and grooks can regenerate in water. For examples of disadvantages, rajamalans have difficulty waking up and heal slowly from elixirs, and trolls have trouble recovering balance and equilibrium.
==Battlerage and the Black Warren==
When you've completed enough tasks and earned the required amount of experience, you will unlock Task 224, "[[Battlerage]] Basics". As soon as you read [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/battlerage HELP BATTLERAGE] to complete Task 224, you'll receive the following notice:


Another kind of racial advantage or disadvantage is tolerance. Horkvali, for example, are more resistant to blunt damage than most other races but are weak to poison damage, while xorani are resistant to fire but weak to cold damage.
<center><nowiki>*** Congratulations, you've just completed the Battlerage Basics task! ***</nowiki></center>
<center><nowiki>You feel your experience grow as a result of your accomplishment.</nowiki></center>
<center><nowiki>The quest "Finding Rhilas" has been added to your log. QUEST LOG will display your active quests.</nowiki></center>


The races available are [[Dwarf]], [[Human]], [[Mhun]], [[Troll]], [[Tsol'aa]], [[Atavian]], [[Horkval]], [[Grook]], [[Rajamala]], [[Xoran]],[[Siren]] (female only), and [[Satyrs]] (male only).
:'''NOTE:''' Depending on what room you're standing in and how many channels of communication you have access to at this point in your adventures, it could be very easy to miss this message. You can use your QUEST LOG at any time in the game to remind yourself of quests you've started. Some remain in the log even after you complete them.


==The Achaea TOS==
If you are under Level 11, then you still have unlimited PORTALS. Even if you do not have portals remaining, if you are a newbie you can WALK TO RHILAS in the Valley of Lodi. If you GREET RHILAS, then he offers to teach you about battlerage and the "All about Batttlerage" quest is added to your Quest Log.
The [http://www.achaea.com/tos.html Terms of Service,] which everyone must agree to during character creation, can be found [http://www.achaea.com/tos.html here.]


==Achaea Policies==
From here you will be tasked to find and open "The Black Warren". This quest brings to life rumours from the pixies and [[:Category:Ratmen|ratmen]] which tell of a sprawling rat warren stretching beneath all three newbie areas. Rat buyers are very busy denizens. If you do not get an answer the first time you ask about the Black Warren and how you can bait the rats within it to reveal entrances, then you might need to wait a minute and ask them again.


These are the Achaea Policies in summary. If you need more information on any of them, please read section 15 of the help files either on the [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=6 website] or while logged in(HELP 15).
The entrances to this rat-infested retreat are disguised as holes or burrows within the natural environment. Once inside the warren, you will fight your way to the lair of [[Pieranotzu]], the Ravenous and return to Rhilas with his corpse. Because he is protected by a great mischief of brown rats, it's best to not go alone.


*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=369 HELP 15.1 (HELP POLICYSUMMARY)] is a summary of many of the policies, but is not all inclusive.
=Basic Commands=
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=496 HELP 15.2 (HELP UNDERAGE)] details the policy that restricts those under the age of 13 from playing Achaea.
The following sections explain basic information on the mechanics of Achaea. The commands are your key to accomplishing everything from killing a [[rats|rat]] (KILL RAT) in a city to completing a complicated series of quest resulting in a special line being added to your [[honours]].
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=606 HELP 15.3 (HELP YOUR ADVENTURER)] explains the policies on your character. No sharing your character. No transferring your character. No logging on to two or more characters at once. Plus many more things you need to know.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=425 HELP 15.3.1 (HELP SECONDS)] explains the policies on having more than one character. While allowed, their behaviour must be guarded to prevent aiding one another.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=317 HELP 15.3.2 (HELP MULTIPLAYING)] explains the policy on having more than one character logged on at once. It's not allowed.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=90 HELP 15.3.3 (HELP ADVENTURERSHARING)] explains the policy on transferring or sharing your character. It, too, is forbidden.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=366 HELP 15.4 (HELP PLAYERKILLING)] discusses killing other adventurers. It is allowed, within reason.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=551 HELP 15.4.1 (HELP PKRULES)] delves into the rules on killing other adventurers. You need a reason to attack someone.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=552 HELP 15.4.2 (HELP PKCAUSE)] describes, in depth, what you can attack someone for.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=553 HELP 15.4.3 (HELP PKTERMS)] explains what PK Terms such as Open PK and Free PK mean.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=523 HELP 15.4.4 (HELP THIEVERY)] details the rules on theft and how it relates to PK.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=688 HELP 15.4.5 (HELP SCAMS)] tells you how to avoid falling victim to an illegal scam, such as someone impersonating an administrator.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=237 HELP 15.5 (HELP HONOUR)] informs you of things that can get you in deep trouble with the administrators, even if they may seem like a good idea at the time. You should not, for example, force a disconnection from the game to avoid death.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=344 HELP 15.6 (HELP ROLEPLAYING)] lists the forms of communication on which you <b>must</b> practice good role play. While roleplaying is optional in Achaea, stepping out of character in front of others can be upsetting to those who come to role play and as such is against our policies.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=769 HELP 15.6.1 (HELP INSANITY)] talks more about stepping out of character when you shouldn't.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=454 HELP 15.7 (HELP SPAMMING)] contains definitions of spam and just how much we dislike it here.
**[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=694 HELP 15.7.1 (HELP ADVERTISING)] discusses the line between spamming and acceptable, in-character advertising.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=490 HELP 15.8 (HELP TRIGGERS)] will tell you exactly how far you are allowed to go with triggers. Complete automation is not an option.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=224 HELP 15.9 (HELP HARASSMENT)] explains that harassment is strictly forbidden, and what can and will happen if you break this policy.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=32 HELP 15.10 (HELP AFK)] details our policy on being Away From Keyboard. It is, quite simply, not permissable, and anything that happens to you while you are AFK is your own responsibility, including administrative punishment.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=267 HELP 15.11 (HELP LANGUAGERULES)] discusses the policies on using obscene or derogatory language. It is not allowed.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=588 HELP 15.12 (HELP ISSUES)] explains what an issue is and how to use it. Issues have to do with customer service and, in some cases, the violation of our usually-adhered-to policies.
*[http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?id=793 HELP 15.13 (HELP ILLUSIONS)] lists the devious types of illusions that are forbidden, and how to avoid falling victim to them.


=The Introductory Tour=
==The SHOW Command==
You will be taken on '''the introductory tour''' after you have made the first choices like a name and a race for your character. An old crone will come and guide you to the Tree of Life, also known as [[Yggdrasil]]. From this tree of life you will be born anew. The rebirth both painful and liberating.
The most basic of all commands is SHOW. Using this command, you can see things about your character that fall into one of three categories:
*Things available elsewhere in the same form, like your [[bank|bank accounts]], honours, or [[rift]]
*Changed or combined versions of some things available elsewhere, like a list of [[:Category:Organisations|orgs]], [[gold]], or your [[status|stats]]
*Information you won't find anywhere else, such as the amount of [[lessons]] left in a [[:Category:Skills|skill]]


[[Pasiphae]] will be waiting to great you as you slowly regain consciousness in a dimly lit cave. [[Pasiphae]] is your guide throughout the introduction, she will guide you as you learn and gain your first levels of experience. Eventually showing you to where to find the dragon orb.
==Communication==
Communicating with other adventurers is one of the most important aspects of Achaea. As such, you have many options for communicating and forming communities within the lands. Most of the commands are self-explanatory and include:
*The '''SAY''' command allows you to say something to others in your current location. Verbs like SING, WHINE, MUTTER, SNARL, and SCREAM work in place of SAY, allowing you to enhance your words.
*Use the '''[[Tells|TELL]]''' command to communicate with others who are not in the same room with you. Using the CONFIG NAMETELLS ON command allows you to send tells using someone's name without TELL at the start. The TELLS command shows the last 50 tells you received, regardless of when you received them.
*The '''CT''' command announces what you say to other members of your city. You can also do this using the name of your city as a command, i.e. <city> Hello! would result in (City): You say, "Hello!"
*You can '''[[Yell|YELL]]''' something to everyone in your immediate area.
*When you '''[[Shout|SHOUT]]''', your voice carries across the lands. Shouting for newbies requires travelling to a [[Giant ram's horn]] or using the [[Ram's horn (artefact)|artefact]] of similar name. Except for some powerful adventurers, only the Divine know who is shouting. Spamming, insulting, and gloating are frowned upon via this method of communication.
*The '''[[newbies|NEWBIE]]''' channel exists for you to ask questions and request basic assistance during your time as a newbie. Due to its nature, some topics might be considered [[insanity|insane]] by other adventurers. It is important to note that the newbie channel is not available for idle chatting.
*[[Messages]] are another form of communication between players. Use '''MSG''' as a standalone command to see all the available ways to use this feature.


In the introductory tour you will learn about:
The rules for using language in Achaea are simple. Do not inflict overly obscene language on people who you do not ''know'' are willing to hear it, and do not use discriminatory language (racist, homophobic, sexist, etc) AT ALL, in any circumstance. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/language-rules HELP LANGUAGE RULES] explains more.
*Checking your status and inventory.
*Looking at your surroundings.
*Clothing (and be given a set of robes).
*Finding your way and moving around.
*Checking who is connected to Achaea.
*Getting and giving items.
*Where to find maps.
*Basic geography of Sapience.
*How to learn and learn 15 lessons in survival.
*How to use the SURVEY skill.
*How to check which skills you have learned so far.
*Basic combat skills.
*Buying items from a store. (You will buy a pack and a health vial.)
*Then you may either choose to test your combat skills or see if you can find your ways through the maze. Either challenge will allow you to gain the Dragon Orb.
*You will be assisted to select a [[Class]]
*Offered the chance to choose a [[City]] for your home. (If you are quite new to Achaea a city can offer you a group of people to help you out and we suggest that you join one of your choice.)
*Learn what [[House]]s are.


As you can see quite a lot of things to learn in 10-30 minutes, depending on your speed completing the tasks.
==Getting Around==
===Basic Movement===
You have several options for moving around in Achaea. The most basic is to use the exits listed when you type LOOK or QL. The directions are at the end of the room description. You can GLANCE <direction> or GL <direction> to see what lies beyond an exit. The possible exits are N/NORTH, NE/NORTHEAST, E/EAST, SE/SOUTHEAST, S/SOUTH, SW/SOUTHWEST, W/WEST, NW/NORTHWEST, U/UP, D/DOWN, IN, and OUT.


==After the Tour==
===Landmarks===
'''After the tour''', you will find you at the ring of [[Portals]]. From the portals you can jump to many places of interest across the realms. From here you can do many things, HELP WHATNOW has a very complete selection of very useful tips and pointers. There is no reason to repeat it all here.
If you are within 100 steps from a one of the places in your list of [[landmarks]] then you can WALK TO <landmark> directly. Landmarks are especially useful if you are lost and unsure of where to go next. In addition to the landmarks in the list, you can also WALK TO the following:
;Members of Your City
:This is anyone on CWHO, which shows who from your city is around right now. QWC is a QuickWho that shows the CWHO is a condensed list, without titles or class affiliation.
;Denizens
:This will let you try to walk to any denizen that isn't owned by another player.
:If there's only one denizen named that in the game, it will try to walk to it if you're in range.
:If there are multiple and you specify a number for the denizen, it will try to walk to that specific denizen.
:If there are multiple and you just say, for instance, WALK TO CULTIST, the results will tend to not be very useful as which cultist you'll walk to will be unpredictable.
;Personal Landmarks
:You may add up to 15 personal landmarks using the command LANDMARK ADD <alias>. The alias can be anything you choose. For example, LANDMARK ADD WARREN to add a way to WALK TO the entrance to the Black Warren.


You may choose to join a [[House]]. A House is a group of like-minded individuals who generally help each other to become stronger via friendship and structure. In order to join a [[House]] you will need to visit Certimene.
===Doors===
Sometimes you may encounter doors which may be open, closed, or locked. The commands for doors include:
*OPEN - To open an unlocked door. OPEN DOOR NORTH (etc).
*CLOSE - CLOSE DOOR DOWN (etc). Doors may lock upon closing in some cases.
*LOCK - Have the proper key, then LOCK DOOR <direction>.
*UNLOCK - Have the proper key, then UNLOCK DOOR <direction>.


=Registration=
For example, to go through a locked door to the north for which you have a key you would UNLOCK DOOR NORTH and OPEN DOOR NORTH before you could go NORTH into the room to the north.


It is important to '''register''' your character shortly after creation in order to avoid being purged from the system too quickly. While registered characters can still purge, they do not do it nearly as quickly.  
===Flying===
[[Flying]] is possible if you are a member of the [[atavian]] race, have some type of flying [[mounts|mount]] or [[pets|pet]], or have some other special item or ability which gives you that power. FLY takes you into the skies, and LAND puts you back on the ground. If you are flying over a garden or forest environment, then you can LAND TREES to land in the treetops. It is possible to DIVE to the ground, which causes plummet head first to the surface of the ground with a sickening crunch.


Please provide the correct information while registering your character. We will not sell or give this information away, but it is necessary to have it on file incase you ever need support for your character. When interacting with support, whether it is to request a lost password or for some other reason, you will be asked to provide your registration information so we can compare it with that on file to be sure you are not someone pretending to be you.
===Maps===
 
There are two types of [[maps]] in Achaea, layout and illustrated. You can use the MAP command in the game at any time to see what lies around you, and MAP RADIUS 5 to expand it to its largest portion. The scroll titled [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/the-dynamic-achaean-map HELP MAPS] explains more.
Nothing particularly probing is requested in registration. You will simply be prompted to provide your name, e-mail address, date of birth, and the country you reside in. In addition to that, we poll you for information on how you heard about Achaea, so we know which advertising techniques are paying off. This poll is not long at all, it is one simple multiple-choice question.


=Basic Commands=
The subsections that follow will assist you in getting basic information on nearly anything you encounter in Achaea.
==Item Manipulation==
==Item Manipulation==
There are many commands for interacting with items in Achaea, some of which are required to make an escape from the pygmies in your very first adventure. These commands work for both items you can hold in your [[inventory]] or wield in your hands, like a vial or a sword, and permanent fixtures, such as a fountain or a locked chest, which are too heavy to pick up.


Item manipulation is more than just the "push/pull lever" and "turn jar" you might be used to, but those options are included in some cases as well.
The item manipulation commands include:
*GET - Gets something from the ground or a container.
*DROP - Drops an item. DROP 50 ASH vs. DROP ASH.
*GIVE - Give an item to another being, like GIVE 5 CHOCOLATE TO DAVID. For gold, always use the amount: GIVE 1000 GOLD TO JANE.
*PUT - Put an item in something. PUT GOLD IN PACK or PUT 5 JOURNAL IN PACK.
*EX, EXAMINE - See what a creature looks like, or how tough it is.
*P, PROBE - Information about something and what's inside it.
*BREAK - Destroys certain fragile items.
*KNOCK - Indicates your presence on one side of a door.
*LIGHT - Firecrackers, Pipes, and LOTS of other things!
*SMELL, TASTE - Food, drinks, elixirs, and sometimes other things.
*READ - Letters, books, signs, posters, plaques, inscriptions, etc.
*WEAR - Wear an item that you hold.
*REMOVE - Remove an item that you are wearing.
*WIELD - Wield an item. WIELD LEFT or WIELD RIGHT for handedness.
*UNWIELD - Cease wielding an item.
*POINT - POINT <thing you are holding> AT <who or what>.


You can push, pull, turn, and do any number of emotes toward items that you encounter. For an idea of how many emotes are available to you, try reading HELP EMOTIONLIST.
Six basic commands which could be useful almost anywhere depending on the object are: PULL, PUSH, RING, SHAKE, TURN, and TOUCH.


Often times, you can DROP, PUT, TAKE, or GET an item from the ground, or even from inside another item. PUT JOURNAL IN PACK and then GET JOURNAL FROM PACK will do just that, provided you are in possession of a journal and a backpack. (You can not PUT an item on the ground, but you can DROP it. You can not DROP an item into another item, but you can PUT it.)
Adventurers who wear [[weapon holders]] or a backstrap to hold their shield, can use the following commands:
*SHEATHE- Sheathe a weapon.
*DRAW - Draw a weapon from its respective holder.
*DRAW STRONG - Draw a weapon from its respective holder with a flashy slash.
*DRAW SALUTE - Draw a weapon from its respective holder in a salute.
*LASH - Lash a shield to a backstrap.


Since we are on the topic of journals, you can READ some things as well, such as journals, books, signs, plaques, and much, much more.
It is possible to THROW a wielded object. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/throwing HELP THROWING] explains more about this method for interacting with items.


You can also WIELD and THROW items that you have in your inventory.
==Examining Yourself and Others==
There are a few commands dedicated to learning more about yourself. These commands include:


The most common thing you may do to items is to PROBE them. Probing gives you more information on the item than you can see at a glance, such as how much it weighs, what it looks like in greater detail, whether it is a weapon you can attack with, et cetera.
*SCORE/SC - This is the first way to get information about your character. Based on the status of your character, it will show you a plethora of facts. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/score HELP SCORE] explains them in greater detail.
*QSC - This command shows a quick score which only displays information relative to the status of your well-being.
*HONOURS <person> - This shows information about another adventure or a Divine. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/honours HELP HONOURS] suggests other ways to use this command.
*LOOK <person> - LOOK <person> to see their physical [[description]].
*DEFENCES or DEF - The [[defences]] command brings up a list of beneficial things currently affecting you. DEFENCES BRIEF shows a less verbose list.
*DIAG ME - This ability allows you to [[diagnose]] your ailments.


==Communication==
==The WHO Lists==
There is a plethora of commands which allow you to see who is in the realm with you at any time. The WHO command shows everyone on the same plane and visible to you. Other ways to use the command include, but are not limited to:


There are many ways to communicate with other players in Achaea, and none may be considered the most common. Most of these ways are used very widely, if not all.
*WHO - Shows everyone on the same plane and visible to you. If you have ANSI on then:
:[[Guides]] will show in yellow,
:[[Celani]] names are light blue,
:[[Newbie_Guide#Customer_Service|Admins]] show up as bold white, and
:[[Gods]]' names show up in green.
*BW/QW - An abbreviated version of the WHO list
*QWC - An abbreviated version of the WHO list colour coded by city affiliation.
*QW <match> - Shows only names that match, for example QW TE would show Tecton and Telendrieth but not Titonus or Trey.
*QW <city> - Shows members of a city. Using ROGUE will show cityless adventures.
*WHO HERE - Lists those in your current location
*NWHO - Shows all the newbies below level 30 in the realm right now
*CWHO - A who list showing members of your city, or CW f
*CLASSWHO - Shows members of your class
*HWHO - A who list showing members of your house
*RWHO - Shows members of your race
*CRAFTERWHO - Shows those with [[cooking]], [[jewellery]], [[tailoring]], and [[heraldry]] [[trade skills]]
*PWHO - Lists names visible to you of those in your party channel
*RPWHO - Names of other adventurers looking for roleplay opportunities


Using SAY(also ' or "), you can speak to everyone in the room.
These lists only show adventurers who are online and visible. Some adventurers, although present in the realm, may be hidden from the lists for any number of reasons. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/who HELP WHO] explains more about the various who lists and commands for using them.


Say Boy, says sure are fun!
== Shortcuts ==
Sometimes you want to get information or accomplish something in the shortest amount of time. These shortcuts might help.


translates to
*! - Repeats the last command you sent
*' or " - Alternative for SAY
*COLOURS - See all possible colours for CONFIG COLOUR, when controlling how different things appear to you.
*RM - Read the next message after the most recent one that you read
*RN - Reads the next news post after the most recent one that you read
*X - Shows obvious exits leading from your current location


You say, "Boy, says sure are fun!"
=Newbie Areas=
New adventurers have exclusive access to three areas reserved for newbie access only: [[Minia]], [[Lodi]], and [[Mount Gheladan]]. After an adventurer reaches Level 21 these lands become off limits, so while in the newbie areas you are never crowded out by more experienced hunters or questing explorers.


to you, and
One of the easiest way to reach the newbie lands is via PORTALS. Once there, you can READ SIGN to see where the portals lead or use Landmarks and WALK TO <area>. Additionally each of the three areas has its own special dragon that will transport you between the newbie lands.
:IN MINIA: Find the dragon Auma (NE from the archway to Minia) and say, "Take me to Lodi please." or "Take me to Gheladan please."
:IN LODI: Find the dragon Poraeus at the entrance to Lodi and say, "Take me to Minia please." or "Take me to Gheladan please."
:IN GHELADAN: Find the dragon Lasuna at the entrance to Gheladan and say, "Take me to Minia please." or "Take me to Lodi please."


Superduperlovechildofdeath says, "Boy, says sure are fun!"
==Minia==
The land of Minia lies just off the [[Prelatorian Highway]] near the [[Aureliana]] forest. There are plenty of quests to keep you busy, like curing a sick [[kobolds|kobold]] or returning textbooks to the [[Pixie Schoolteacher]], and things to kill such as [[hellcats]] or [[Beku]], the pygmy chieftain.


to everyone else in the room with you.
[[Vellis]], the butterfly collector, resides at the ''Ivy-covered archway to Minia'', where he hands out nets to anyone, regardless of age or level, who wishes to catch butterflies. If you linger too long, then you may incur the wrath of this otherwise kindly old man.


Using TELL(also T), you can speak to one specific person, whether they are in the room with you or not, provided they are logged on and on the same plane and part of the world as you(ie., not too far away, like your intended recipient being in the icy north and you being in the southern mountain range).
You can READ SIGN at the ivy-covered archway to Minia for directions to the four primary areas within Minia. These areas include:


Tell Maran I like to send tells!
*'''The Pixie Village'''
:Along the northern reaches of Minia, the inhabitants of the [[Pixie Village]] are ruled by the [[Pixie Queen]], a diminutive yet imposing woman whose sworn enemy is the [[Imp Lord]].


translates to
*'''The Ember Tower'''
:At the southeastern edge of Minia, the [[Ember Tower]] teems with mischievous imps who do the bidding of the Imp Lord, a gnarled who carries a jewelled spear and whose only goal is to make the Pixie Queen suffer. [[Ord]], the hellcat trainer controls fierce felines who guard the tower.


You tell Maran, "I like to send tells!"
*'''Miba, the pygmy village'''
:A group of pygmies led by the nefarious [[Beku]], the pygmy chieftain, maintain a collection of [[kobolds|kobold]] slaves, putting them at perpetual odds with the dog-faced creatures of the nearby dungeons.


to you, and
*'''The Libra dungeon'''
:The [[Libra Dungeon|Libra dungeon]] houses a race of dog-like beings called ''kobolds'', who are fairly bitter about the enslavement (and consumption) of their loved ones by the pygmies. The Libra dungeon may be found beneath the trail southeast from Vellis.


Superduperlovechildofdeath tells you, "I like to send tells!"
==Lodi==
The valley of Lodi lies within the [[Putoran Hills]], west off of the [[Raphaelan Highway]]. You can earn gold and experience by helping various denizens, such as killing wildcats for Constable [[Beck]] or exterminating [[bats]] from the mines.


to Maran.
*'''The village of Gorshire'''
:[[Gorshire]] is a quaint village situated in the southern portion of the [[Putoran Hills]] within Lodi. It is home to a community of [[gnomes]], the sworn enemies of the evolved wildcats who prey on livestock to the north.


In addition to tells and says, there are dozens of other ways to communicate, including CLT (clantell), CLT1 (clantell1, you may have up to 30 different clans and speak on them without switching back and forth by using the number), HT (housetell), HNT (housenewcomertell), HTS (housetellsecret), CT (citytell), NEWBIE (the newbie channel, just for you and your fellow newbies to ask questions on, and, of course, those who wish to help you), SHOUT (this goes to nearly everyone), YELL (a say to everyone in the area instead of everyone in the room), CHANT, SCREAM, MUTTER, SING, WHINE, ASK, EXCLAIM and SNARL (all fancy ways to SAY that have interesting results. Go ahead and try them all!), and finally SAY TO/AT (still a say that everyone in the room can hear, but directed at a specific person).
*'''The lair of the wildcats'''
:Deep within the northwestern area of Lodi, [[Scylina]] rules over her fellow [[wildcats]]. The Wildcat Queen and her kin hold such deep hatred for the gnomes that she will pay for their corpses.


Let's summarise, because this looks messy:
*'''The Lodi mines'''
*say
:The miner foreman, [[Dorven]], oversees this undermanned mine and is always looking for adventures to help pick up the slack, whether it is eliminating pests from the mines or running shipments to his partner in [[Delos]].
*tell
*clt, clt1-30
*ht, hts, hnt
*shout
*yell
*ct
*newbie
*chant, scream, mutter, sing, whine, ask, exclaim, snarl
*say to, say at, sing to, et cetera


You can also send message to those who are not logged in using MESSAGE (name) (message to send), and he or she will receive this message at the next login.
==Mount Gheladan==
The most recently discovered of the newbie lands, Mount Gheladan is nestled in the central [[Vashnar Mountains]], west of the Dakhota Hills. Hostilities between the Nilari and the Murinae on the mountainside or between the bees and hornets living in caverns inside the cliffs both offer plenty of opportunity to collect a bit of gold or experience.


To read messages, you can use MESSAGES FULL to read them all at once or RM to read them one at a time.
*'''The Nilari village'''
:The peaceful, ratlike Nilari could enjoy their thriving village if not for the constant threat of the nefarious Murinae living nearby. [[Ealeo]], the village hunter will reward adventurers who agree to help rid him of the problem. This village is one of two in the newbie areas that offers a chance for [[shops|shopping]].


==Getting around==
*'''The Murinae caves'''
:Located in the northwestern corner of the mountain, [[Raktai]], the Murinae Chieftain pays a handsome reward for prey, especially if it is a member of the Nilari.


Getting around is a pretty simple concept.
*'''The beehive'''
:[[Bixise]], the Queen Bee is indifferent to most of the activity within her hive atop Mount Gheladan except two-she loves gemstones and hates hornets. Her personal guard, [[Intieme]], is always in need of adventurers to help battle the nearby [[hornets]].


When you LOOK or move around, you will receive a room description with a list of obvious exits at the end. If you wish only to see the exits(rather than LOOK), type X or EXITS.
*'''The hornets' nest'''
:[[Iesta]], Queen of the Hornets, is a regal female with a healthy appreciation of shiny gems. She relies adventurers to assist her guardian, [[Niluint]], with keeping the nest safe from their sworn enemies, the [[honeybees]] who live nearby.


Once you have decided which direction to go, just type that direction. If you wish to go north, type NORTH. You can also shorten this to N. If you wish to go NORTHEAST, you can shorten it to NE. Simple, isn't it?
=Gaining Experience=
[[Level|Levels]] are a measure of experience. The more experience you gain, the higher your level. You can see your current level at any time on your SCORE, or by using SHOW LEVEL. Some of the benefits of gaining a level include:


As a newbie, you can use PORTALS if you get lost. At any time, though, you can also use landmarks. Simply WALK TO a location that is near enough to where you are. HELP LANDMARKS, while logged in to Achaea, will give you a list of landmarks you can WALK TO.
:Complimentary [[lessons]] - Every time you gain a level, you receive 5 lessons. If you die and fall below that level, then you lose 5 lessons. If you go below 0 lessons then, you won't be able to use or spend lessons on learning (or other things, such as adding another personal landmark to your list) until your lessons come above 0 again.


==Getting information about yourself==
:Bound [[credits]] - When you obtain certain levels for the first time, you also gain bound credits. The breakdown is:
It is very likely that at some point, you will want to gain information about yourself.
:*Level 7 - 5 bound credits
===SCORE===
:*Level 10 - 6 bound credits
You can type SCORE to see your current score. This has a wide range of implications. Your score contains information such as what level you are in experience, how much experience you need to get to the next level, what your name, title, and race are, what your alignment currently stands at(based on a good or evil scale), what ranks and positions you currently hold in organisations such as City, Order, and House, how much health, mana, endurance, and willpower you currently have and how much you are capable of having, your racial statistics, and your clans. There are other tidbits in there as well, but you can find them.
:*Level 15 - 7 bound credits
:*Level 20 - 8 bound credits
:And so forth, continuing on up every 5 levels to level 95 for 23 bound credits, then jumping by two at level 100 for 25 bound credits.


===STAT===
:New [[Shout|Shouting]] Voice - Your shouting voice becomes stronger as you gain new levels.


Typing STAT tells you the current status or state of your character. Whether you are dressed, drunk, tired, hungry, and a few other useful tidbits.
:[[Achaean_Lingo#L|Logosian]] - At Level 80, you no longer need to [[:Category:Restaurants|eat]] or [[sleep]].


===STAT STATS===
:Dragon - Upon reaching level 99, you will gain the ability to change into a [[:Category:Adventurer_races|Dragon]], granting you new powers and extra health.
STAT STATS tells you your bashing and PK statistics. Here is an example:


    Adventurer Kills
==Hunting==
    ----------------
'''Hunting''', or '''bashing''', refers to the slaying of [[:Category:Denizens|denizens]] and [[:Category:Creatures|creatures]]. Every denizen has an experience value, depending on its level and strength. You can estimate this level by using PROBE or CONSIDER (i.e. ''PROBE WILDCAT'' or ''CONSIDER IMP''). A full list of denizen strengths may be found in [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=CONSIDER HELP CONSIDER].
    Number Slain : 2      Total Levels : 161    Avg Level : 80
   
    Denizen Kills
    -------------
    Number Slain : 70    Total Levels : 4745  Avg Level : 67


In this example, the player in question has killed two other players whose levels added up to 161 and had a combined average of level 80. This player has also killed 70 denizens(or non-player characters) whose levels added up to 4745 and had a combined average of level 67.
As a newbie, you will likely want to stay within Minia, Lodi, and Mount Gheladan. Once you reach Level 21 you can try areas like the [[Actar Valley]], [[Great Rock]], and [[rats]] of all types in the cities (except [[Eleusis]] which has no rats).


===LOOK SELF===
==Questing==
You can see what you look like with LOOK SELF or a number of variations, including LOOK ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT SELF, LOOK MYSELF, and LOOK AT MYSELF.
'''Questing''' in Achaea almost always involves some type of denizen. Quests can be as simple as locating an item and delivering it to the proper denizen, or so complex that it takes many real-time days or weeks to puzzle out. You can find quests in just about every area in Achaea.


This shows the personal description you have written, detailing the physical appearance of your character, as well as any clothing being worn.
The quests in Minia, Lodi, and Mount Gheladan are relatively easy to complete. This is to help get you acclimated to the realm while teaching valuable lessons on how things work.


When writing your description, keep in mind that the first few words can not be changed. If you are a grook, for example, your description must start with "He is a frog-like Grook and is".
In many cases, starting a quest is as simple as using GREET <denizen> or saying something about quests, like "Do you have any quests for me?" Sometimes you may need to ask denizens about specific things or people you have noticed. This often results in the denizen offering you a quest. When you answer in the affirmative (either spoken or with an emote), the quest will be added to your quest log. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/questlog HELP QUEST LOG] tells more about this handy feature.


In order to set your description, just type DESCRIBE SELF (description).
Some Achaean quests are far more difficult and complex than others. They may involve many steps, travel across great distances, careful timing, very dangerous situations, and so forth. These are sometimes referred to as [[honours]] quests, because those who successfully complete them will receive lasting recognition in the form of an honours line.


===DEF===
=Making Gold=
DEF, short for DEFENCES, will tell you which defences currently protect you. What you see in DEF will change depending on the defences you gain and lose through your actions and the actions of others.
Gold sovereigns are the global currency of Achaea and is almost universally accepted as payment for food, clothing, weapons, and other goods and services. The three easiest ways to make gold, regardless of age or experience level, are [[ratting]], catching [[butterflies]], [[fishing]], although [[hunting]] and [[quests|questing]] (as explained in detail above) can generate coin as well.


TIP: "Your mind is racing with enhanced speed." is the myrrh defence, which helps with learning lessons.
*'''Ratting''' ''(see also: [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=RATTING HELP RATS])''
:The cities of Achaea (excepting Eleusis) are infested with rats. Use RATS to toggle your vision to see the movement of these vermin, then kill them and sell their corpses to any of the [[ratmen]] who will reward you with gold. There are five different types of rats, each one worth a predetermined value based on its strength.
::NOTE - Rat corpses in your inventory will fall to the ground when you die or leave the realm, making them fair game for anyone to pick up and sell to a rat buyer.


==Getting information about other people==
*'''Butterfly catching''' ''(see also: [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=BUTTERFLIES HELP BUTTERFLIES])''
:Butterflies are most commonly found in Minia, the [[Savannah]], and the [[Pash Valley]], although they could potentially flit into any location. Once you obtain a net from [[Vellis]] at the ivy-covered archway to Minia or [[Aine]], the Sheriff in [[Eleusis]], WIELD NET and then attempt to CATCH BUTTERFLY. When you are finished return to the archway and GIVE NET TO VELLIS (or AINE), who will review its contents and reward you with gold. Each of the six different species of butterflies able to be caught in a net is worth a different value.
::NOTE - Once you give your net to Vellis or Aine, they won't give you a new one for at least one Achaean [[days|day]], which is about an hour in real time. While there is no limit to the number of butterflies a net holds, leaving the realm, dying, and releasing the butterflies allows them to escape the net. An empty net is worthless to a butterfly collector.


When interacting with other players, it tends to help if you can get at least a little information about them (so you don't say hello sir to a busty siren, for example). Well, good news: You can!
*'''Fishing''' ''(see also: [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=FISHING HELP FISHING])''
:Fishing, while potentially lucrative, requires a great deal of practice and even more patience. Your level of success is directly proportional to your [[skill ranks|rank]] in the [[Survival]] skill; the more survival you know, the better your chances of catching bigger and more valuable fish. Fishing requires you to have a fishing pole, bait, and a source of water that contains fish, like a river or lake. When you tire of fishing or run out of bait, take your catches to a bait shop and SELL BAIT TO <bait shop denizen>.
::NOTE - Like most everything else in Achaea, fish will decay over time so it's better to sell them as soon as possible when you finish fishing rather than waiting to do it later.


===WHO LISTS===
==Shopping==
Shopping is a popular way to spend gold. You'll find a few different ways to shop for goods and services in Achaea.


Who lists tell you who is obviously around. It will not tell you those who have used powerful abilities to conceal their identities.
:'''Shops''' exist far and wide, from your home city to faraway islands. A [[shop]] may be owned by an adventurer or a denizen, like [[Rurin]]. If you LOOK and see a line suggesting you use WARES to see what is for sale, odds are that you are in a shop. You can PROBE <thing from the WARES> to see it more closely. With your gold in your [[inventory]], BUY <item> to purchase it.


QW and BW give you a short list of who is online and in the same part of the world as you(not off plane, dead, or in the far reaches of the continent).
:'''Denizens''' sometimes hawk private wares. You can see what they have to sell using ASK <denizen> WARES. With your gold in your inventory, BUY <item> FROM <denizen>.


WHO tells you the same thing as QW and BW, but in list form and with titles.
:The '''Market channel''' is where adventurers buy and sell goods and services. If an adventurer offers something for sale that you wish to buy, then use TELL <adventurer> to negotiate the purchase. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/market HELP MARKET] tells more about using this channel.  


CITYWHO, CWHO, or CW tells you who in your city is around.
NOTE: You'll notice that items for sale have a name with a number, for example PACK1234. Use the full name with number, i.e. BUY PACK1234, to make sure you're buying the right thing.


HOUSEWHO, HWHO, or HW tells you who in your House is around.
=Customising Your Character=
As you begin your adventures, you may wish to add a extra details to how others see your character when they LOOK at you. You can add these details using a variety of ways.


ORDERWHO or OWHO tells you who in your Divine Order is around.
;Personal Description
:This is a '''description''' of your physical features. Use DESCRIBE SELF <description> to give yourself a description and DESCRIBE SELF OFF to use a generic one. Your race, gender, clothing, and anything you wield are automatically shown when someone looks at you. Otherwise it will be placed like this: (S)he is a <your race>. <Everything else.> More tips and guidelines are detailed in [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=DESCRIPTION HELP DESCRIPTION].
:For example, when you LOOK JULIET you will see: She is a mhun and is simultaneously ageless and youthful. Her face is marked with a careworn expression, and radiates warmth and welcome. Her eyes twinkle with the slightest hint of mirth, and a jovial smile comes easily to her lips.
;Clothing
:Your initial '''clothing''' is a bit utilitarian but you can outfit yourself in any number of fashions. You'll find clothing [[shops]] in every city, and perhaps some [[:Category:Villages|Villages]] as well. (For more information on shops for the informed newbie, please see our section on spending your gold above.)
:Some adventurers take up [[tailoring]] or [[jewellery]] by profession. Use CRAFTERWHO T to find tailors and CRAFTERWHO J to find jewellers who can, in addition to their personal designs, make anything from a public list of designs found via the NEWDESIGN LIST T (or J) command. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/clothing HELP CLOTHING] gives more information about clothing, including how much you can wear and how it could protect you from the [[weather]].
;Motto and Warcry
:A '''motto''' is a personal saying while a '''warcry''' is something you scream just before or in the heat of battle. You can use either a motto or a warcry, but you cannot have both set at the same time. Adventurers see your motto or warcry when they HONOURS <you> or when you use the appropriate command. SET MOTTO/WARCRY <your motto or warcry> to set a new one, or SET MOTTO/WARCRY CLEAR to clear it altogether. For more information on mottos and warcries, please see [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=MOTTO HELP MOTTO] and [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=WARCRY HELP WARCRY].
::Motto Example: If Aeyr types ''SET MOTTO Magic is fun! BE THE MAGIC'' then when he types MOTTO people will see ''Aeyr is filled with proud joy as he declaims, "Magic is fun! BE THE MAGIC!"''
::Warcry Example: If Aeyr types: ''SET WARCRY For the Power of Magic!'' then when he types WARCRY people will see ''Aeyr's eyes fill with battle rage as he screams out, "For the Power of Magic!"''
;Background
:Every character in Achaea has the capability to write a publicly viewable '''background'''. This information should be written in character, as once you write your background it cannot be altered. For example, you could use your background to explain what your life was like as a child or what led you to becoming trapped in a pygmy dungeon. You do not have to write your background right away, so you have plenty of time to think about it. It is a good idea to have someone read over your background to make sure it is free of errors. You can do this by writing it on a [[letters|letter]] or [[journals|journal page]] first. For more information on the background system, including syntax and use, please see [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/background HELP BACKGROUND].


NEWBIEWHO or NWHO tells you who of your fellow newbies are around.
=Your Class and Skills=
Your [[class]] is a kind of profession that gives you three unique [[skills]]. These skills differentiate your class from the others. Upon starting out, using the SKILLS (or AB) command shows two types of skills: Class Skills and General Skills.


RACEWHO or RWHO tells you who of your race is around.
After you reach Level 10, you will also have access to [[:Category:Miniskills|miniskills]], which are just what the name implies - skills with fewer abilities that take less lessons to transcend. You can read [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/skills HELP SKILLS] to learn more about skills, including ones that are not available until after you complete your newbie adventures.


CLANWHO or CLWHO tells you who in the selected clan is around.
Each skill has a range of [[abilities]] you gain access to by spending [[lessons]] at a [[tutors|tutor]], which is either a denizen or an adventurer who knows more than you do in your target skill. Once you find someone to help, LEARN <#> <skill> FROM <teacher>. Eating [[myrrh]] or [[bisemutum]] help speed the learning process, and increase the maximum number of lessons you can spend at a time from 15 to 20.


CLAN 2 WHO tells you who in the specified clan is around.
SHOW LESSONS LEFT IN <skill> shows how many lessons you need to reach Transcendent, which is the highest of the [[skill ranks]]. As stated above, every time you gain a level, you receive 5 lessons. You might choose to convert [[credits|bound credits]] as another way to get lessons. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/lessons HELP LESSONS] explains other ways.


The list goes on, depending on which organisations you end up joining over time.
;Changing Class
If you decide to change [[class]], visit [[Certimene]], the Class and House Administrator in [[Delos]]. You can use [[landmarks]] to reach him directly. Once there, READ SIGN to learn how he can help.


An important one is WHO HERE, which tells you who is in the room with you if their presence is obvious.
==Traits==
Traits allow you to further customise your character by selecting a wide range of perks and advantages. You can further immerse yourself into daily Achaean life by choosing traits to enhance your roleplay by doubling up on your [[:Category:Fashion|fashion]] accessories, give you an edge in [[:Category:Combat|Combat]], or help you save money with discounts in [[Rurin|Rurin's]] shops.
*Level 20 - Unlocks your first Major Trait slot.
*Level 30 - Unlocks your second Minor Trait slot.
Additionally, you will find special traits tide to your race. These are granted automatically and do not take up a trait slot.


===HONOURS===
==Weapon Proficiencies==
[[:Category:Weapons|Weapon]] proficiencies allow you to specialise in certain classes of weapons, like longswords or flails, even if your class does not permit you to use them at the cost of 100 lessons. If your class requires a weapon, then you will automatically have the proficiency required to use it upon becoming a member of that class.
If you choose to learn a new proficiency, then find the appropriate [[:Category:Proficiency Teachers|proficiency teacher]] and LEARN PROFICIENCY IN <weapon name> FROM <teacher> to begin your training. Then practice with the weapon until you reach mastery.


HONOURS is a very helpful command. You can HONOURS SARAPIS, for example, to find out that he is the Logos, a male Immortal, and was born before time was counted.
=Houses=
[[:Category:Houses|Houses]] are adventurer-run organisations dedicated to a common purpose. They serve as cornerstones of conflict, discovery, and camaraderie for the realm of Achaea. They can be of immense help by explaining skills, helping complete tasks, and more, especially after you pass Level 30 and no longer have access to the Newbie channel.


If you check the honours of a mortal, you will get a much more detailed sheet to work with, including which public clans they are in, which city they are in, what their title, sex, and race is, their birthday and age, which very notable tasks they have completed, most of their current rankings, whether they are joined to another mortal, and more!
==Joining a House==
After you complete the Cultists' Conspiracy and the necessary tasks, you'll find a new category of requirements. These city tasks will introduce you to various denizens in your city while learning more about it. Joining a house has many benefits including:
*interacting within a community of like-minded adventurers with a wealth of knowledge and resources
*using any [[:Category:House expansions|house expansions]], such as a [[Master Crystal]] or a private [[forge]]
*sharing in the political clout of your house, such as voting in elections or referendums
*holding or aiding a leadership position listed in HOUSE STRUCTURE


===VIEW BACKGROUND===
After you complete the city tasks, then you will need to find the denizen in your city who can induct you into a house. HOUSE LIST <city> show the houses stationed in your city while HOUSE LIST <class> shows all the houses that accept a certain class. Here's a quick example using the two houses based in Delos:


Backgrounds are a chance for players to write their history before the age of 18 and continue it with chapters as new things happen.
{|
! scope="col" | Short Name
! scope="col" | In Which City
! scope="col" | Long Name
|-
|Merchants
|(no city)
|[[The Grand Merchant Collective]]
|-
|Cij
|(no city)
|The [[Carnivalis Institute of Jestering]]
|}


Here are some important things you need to know about backgrounds, incase you ever plan to use them.
Once you join a house, you can speak on your new House's newcomer channel by using HNT <message> (the HNT stands for House Newcomer Tell). See who from your house is in the realm right now using HOUSEWHO (or HWHO for short).


COMPOSE BACKGROUND takes you into the Achaean editor, where you can write your background down. Please be VERY careful, as you can never alter this once it is saved. We strongly recommend writing it offline, running it through a spell-checker, proofreading it, proofreading it again, then submitting it when you are completely satisfied.
If you wish to join one of the two houses in [[Delos]], which are not affiliated with a city, then you must speak with [[Certimene]] in [[Delos]] and ASK CERTIMENE JOIN <short name>.


COMPOSE HISTORY takes you into the editor to compose a new chapter of your background. Like backgrounds, they can never be altered once saved.
;Changing Houses
You can change your house at any time. If you decide to change houses, then it pays to learn more by talking to someone from that house. Use HELP HOUSE <short name> to view their information. There should be a section entitled ''[CURRENTLY IN THE REALM]''. Any names listed there, next to "Able to induct:" can induct you if you speak to them privately. It is worth noting that joining a house in a different city will require you to be a citizen of that city.


COMPOSE HISTORY TITLE <CHAPTER #> <DESIRED TITLE> (perhaps this would read, COMPOSE HISTORY TITLE 7 Chopping the Redwood Tree) assigns a title to a chapter number.
=Cities=
Adventurers choose their '''[[cities]]''' when creating a character for the first time. Cities, also called city-states, are large settlements with some degree of control over their surrounding lands. There are six city-states you may join: [[Ashtan]], [[Targossas]], [[Hashan]], [[Cyrene]], [[Mhaldor]], and [[Eleusis]]. Every city has its own socio-political structure, including various ministers (which are the same primary positions across Cities) and aides.


VIEW BACKGROUND <CHARACTER> (perhaps this would read VIEW BACKGROUND SARAPIS) shows you the background of the person you choose, assuming they have allowed you to read it. You can also simply VIEW BACKGROUND, without supplying a name, to read your own.
==Changing Cities==
Sometimes after escaping the pygmy dungeon an adventurer learns the city they chose when creating their character is not what they expected. Before joining a new city consider that cities are free to restrict their citizens in many ways.


VIEW HISTORY SUMMARY <CHARACTER> shows you the chapter summary of the person in question. Omit the character to view your own.
Citizens may also be required to perform city services, serve other citizens in various manners, or join only certain Houses, listed in HOUSE LIST <city>. Be absolutely certain that you discuss these things with leaders of your intended city listed in that city's [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/city help scroll] before you make a commitment to citizenship.


VIEW HISTORY <CHAPTER> <CHARACTER> (perhaps this would read, VIEW HISTORY 7 SARAPIS) will show you a specific chapter in detail. Omit the character to view your own.
Once you have QUIT <city> to leave your old city and are ready to join a new one, read HELP <city> to find the denizen that can make you a citizen or the adventurers currently in the realm who are able to induct new citizens.


SET HISTORY PUBLIC/ALLIES/PRIVATE to control who can view your character background.
=Healing=
Regardless of your class or hobbies, every adventurer should know the basics of physical well-being and [[Combat:Overview#Curing|healing]]. There are several ways to see your basic statistics.
*SCORE shows your stats at any time.
*QUICKSCORE or QSC shows a more condensed version of your score.
*[http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/prompt CONFIG PROMPT] displays these settings every time you enter a command.
*The Nexus Client displays gauges above the command box. If you don't see them, right-click anywhere on the page and choose Gauges, making sure the green check mark appears to the left of the word.
*CURING ON turns on Achaea's server-side [[curing]] system. [[:Category:Combat|Combat]] in Achaea can add an unprecedented level of immersion, which can make it difficult for newcomers to get started. The curing system allows adventures who are Level 10 and higher to take part in combat. The scroll [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/curingsystem HELP CURING SYSTEM] explains more.


==Getting information about the world around you==
==Health==
There are three common ways to lose [[health]]: hunting denizens and creatures, [[:Category:Combat|combat]] with other adventures, and misadventure, a kind of adventure gone wrong. Misadventure includes things like drowning while [[:Category:Survival|swimming]] or succumbing to injuries from catching on fire during a walk through a burning forest. Failing to restore your health will lead to certain, albeit temporary, [[death]].


At some point, probably one very soon, you are going to want to know how to find out about the world around you. There are many ways to do this, and maps(see below) will most likely prove to be of great importance until you learn your way around.
Two popular ways to restore your health include sipping an [[elixir of health]] and [[Sleep|sleeping]], the latter of which also rebuilds [[endurance]].


In order to find out what area you are in, you can SURVEY. Survey tells you the area name first, the environment second, and the plane third(this will almost always be the Prime Material Plane).
==Mana==
Certain class skills use more [[mana]] than others. The easiest ways to regain mental strength is to sip an [[elixir of mana]] and [[meditate]], the latter also being a way to regain [[willpower]].


Once you know the area, you will know which map to look at.
==Afflictions==
Sometimes your adventures might lead you to become afflicted with something, like [[blindness]] or [[stupidity]]. Helpful commands offering information about these afflictions include:
*AFFLICTION LIST - See a list of known afflictions
*AFFLICTION SHOW <affliction> - See information about a current affliction
*WHATCURES <affliction> - See what cures a specific affliction, for example:
::WHATCURES STUPIDITY shows: The affliction 'stupidity' is cured by: [[Goldenseal|Eat Goldenseal]] / Eat [[Plumbum|Plumbum]] and [[focusing|Focus Mind]].


You can also SQUINT or GLANCE in directions to find out what lies ahead, and LOOK or QL in your room to see what is around you. EXITS or X will tell you the exits from the room if you need them in a pinch, though they are usually shown when you enter the room or look around in it.
==Refilling Vials==
When you sip the last of your curative elixir then it's time to refill that [[vials|vial]]. The easiest way to get a refill is from [[Seasone|Seasone, the Industrious]] just outside of [[North of New Thera]]. Her services are some of the most costly in the land, so it is highly suggested that you find another way, such as an adventurer who can refill your vial or a shop with a [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/refill-tuns tun] where you can REFILL <vial|fluid|empty> WITH <tun|fluid>.


===Maps===
==Death and Resurrection==
In the event of your '''[[death]]''', you will find you can still walk around as a soul. This movement may be stopped by [[sigils|eye sigils]] lying upon the ground and the steps you take will not count in increasing your rank in the [[Fellowship of Explorers]].


[http://www.achaea.com/maps.htm Maps] can help you to find your way around. They generally show rooms as squares and directions as lines leading to the north, northeast, east, southeast, et cetera, to get to different rooms.
There are a few ways in which adventurers can be resurrected from death. They are:
*EMBRACE DEATH to take a brisk walk through the [[Thoth|Halls of Thoth]].
*Use the [[starburst]] [[:Category:Tattoos|tattoo]] which instantly restores your life at half the experience loss but leaves you without [[defences]].
*Immolation, which takes place when another adventurer immolates your corpse in the [[Flame of Yggdrasil]].
*Abilities related to classes such as [[druid]] and [[paladin]] allow adventurers to resurrect their fallen peers.
It should be noted that almost every method of resurrection incurs some amount of experience loss.


Some fan sites have additional maps. One such site has a rather large compilation of those from many others, and can be found [http://achaea.cjb.net here.] It was created by Tenchu.
=Geography & Movement=
During your [[Newbie_Guide#Escape_from_Miba|escape from the pygmy dungeon]] you learn the basics of moving from place to place. The world is so much bigger, however, than what you are exposed to during your first couple of adventures.


=The Newbie Channel & Newbie Guides=
==Basic Geography==
The main continent of Achaea is called [[Sapience]], which is home to six major [[:Category:City-states|cities]], bountiful [[forests]], pristine [[:Category:lakes|lakes]], and roads and [[highways]] that cross back and forth across the map linking everything together.  With so much to explore, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Fortunately newbies have the PORTALS command, a kind of [[:Category:Gods|godly]] rescue which delivers you to the [[Ring of Portals]].


The Newbie Channel is there specifically for you to ask questions on during your newbiehood, to help you get a good start. You can use it by typing NEWBIE <YOUR QUESTION> (perhaps this would read as NEWBIE How do I regain health?).
==The MAP Command==
The MAP command shows your current location and some neighbouring rooms with hints of how they connect and what might lie in adjacent directions. MAP RADIUS 5 shows the largest portion of the map at any one time. Most of the symbols on the map are self-explanatory, such as "$" for the location of a Bank or "S" to designate Shop. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/map HELP MAPS] offers a full explanation of the key.


The Newbie Guides are Romeo and Juliet. These beings spend 100% of their time helping newbies, and they love their job. Don't be shy about sending them a TELL or asking on the NEWBIE channel if you have a question, because they thirst to help you settle in.
==The Ring of Portals==
The Ring of Portals is a special location on a remote location called [[Loom Island]], which cannot be accessed by any normal means of [[:Category:Travel|travel]]. All newbies - those adventurers under [[level]] 21 - may access to the Ring with some stipulations.
*PORTALS use is unlimited until reaching Level 11.
*Starting at Level 11, you are allowed 20 more uses of the command.
::NOTE: Going past Level 11 and dropping back below it does not restore unlimited portals.
*Starting at Level 21, you lose access to the command, even if you did not use up your previous allotment.
::NOTE: Going past Level 21 and dropping back below it does not restore use of portals.


=Newbie Areas=
Within the Ring of Portals are five separate rooms, each with exits to many of the most useful locations in the realms.


There are two areas that were built with newbies in mind. Older players cannot enter these areas, so you don't need to worry about starting out with people 200 times your might to deal with. These areas are known as Minia and Lodi, and will be detailed below.
{| class="houseleaders"
|-
|
|'''The Northern Portal Room''' <br/> Northeast : General Cazin (Targossas) <br/> East : Epicurus (Ashtan) <br/> Southeast : Damaris, the Learned (Hashan) <br/> Southwest : Liirup the Placid (Hashan) <br/> West : Crazy Hakhim (Targossas) <br/> Northwest : The Ratman (Ashtan) <br/>
|-
|'''The Western Portal Room''' <br/> North : Certimene, the Class and House Administrator <br/> South : Seasone, the Seller of Potions and Elixirs <br/> Southwest : Tyrandiel, the Wise <br/> Northwest : Vinci's Tattoo Emporium <br/>
|'''The Ring of Portals''' <br/> North : Portals to Ashtan, Hashan, and Targossas. <br/> South : Portals to Cyrene, Eleusis, and Mhaldor. <br/> East : Portals to newbie adventuring areas. <br/> West : Portals to other useful services.
|'''The Eastern Portal Room''' <br/> North : the Valley of Lodi <br/> Northeast : the Land of Minia <br/> Southeast : Mount Gheladan
|-
|
|'''The Southern Portal Room'''Northeast : Maric, the ratman (Mhaldor) <br/> East : Aine, the Sheriff (Eleusis) <br/> Southeast : Elias, the Gatekeeper (Eleusis) <br/> Southwest : Jorj, the city caretaker (Cyrene) <br/> West : Indalecio, the Academician (Cyrene) <br/> Northwest : Gack, the slaver (Mhaldor)
|}


==Auma & Poraeus==
==Landmarks==
Another way of getting around is using the [[landmarks]] system to WALK TO any landmark in the list that's within 100 steps of your current location. It is also possible to WALK TO <someone> in your city or house. You can use the [[:Category:Survival|distance ability]] DISTANCE TO <landmark> command to see the distance to landmarks and adventurers, but not denizens. You'll find other useful details in [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/landmarks HELP LANDMARKS].


Auma and Poraeus are kind old dragons that enjoy helping newbies as much as Romeo and Juliet  do. They will help you to travel between Minia and Lodi if you ask very nicely. Try walking up to Auma and say, "Please take me to Lodi." and see how she gently carries you across the continent to the valley of Lodi. Poraeus will do the same, but to Minia from Lodi. They can be located near the entrances to their favoured areas.
==Class Abilities Allowing Travel==
In addition to these methods of travel, there are plenty of miscellaneous tools and abilities to help you get around the realm. For example, members of the [[Magi]] class can learn the ability to create sonic portals between locations, and [[Serpent]] class members can splice [[wormholes]] to travel between two otherwise non-adjacent locations.


==Minia==
==Artefacts for Travelling==
Minia is a land that only newbies and the guides (Romeo and Juliet) can enter. It is full of quests and denizens that are suited for the level of a newbie. This is the perfect place to get accustomed with killing denizens and doing quests for experience and gold.
[[Artefact|Artefacts]] such as the [[Eagle's wings]] and [[Atavian wings]] allow adventurers to travel high above the clouds to a location similar to the Ring of Portals, while the [[wand of portals]] creates portals between its wielder and another adventurer.


Vellis, the butterfly collector, stays at the Ivy-covered archway to Minia, where he hands out butterfly nets for those willing to help him out.
=History and Mythology=
You'll find much of the history of Achaea, from [[Creation]] to the [[Modern Age]], explained on the scroll titled [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/history HELP HISTORY]. A shorter period of history, from Creation to the aftermath of the [[War of Humanity]], exists within the [http://www.achaea.com/info/mythos Histories and Mythos] page.


===The Pixie Village===
All adventurers have access to the Public and Announce sections of the [[news]], as well as the worldwide Events board. You may discover lesser known histories, however, within the boards reserved for the Houses, Cities, and other organizations. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/news HELP NEWS] explains precisely how to take advantage of these newsboards.
Playful pixies live in the Pixie Village. These pixies are in a long-time war with the Imps of the Ember Tower, since the scorned Imp Lord could not handle the rejection of the Pixie Queen. You can find the Pixie Village by heading northeast from Vellis.


===The Ember Tower===
=Advanced Communication=
The Ember Tower is crawling with mischievous imps who war with the pixies of the Pixie Village. The source of the war can be traced back to the Imp Lord being scorned by the Pixie Queen, and not handling it very well. The Ember Tower is located at the end of the trail heading southeast from Vellis.
The methods for [[Newbie_Guide#Communication|commication]] extend beyond the ones previously discussed in this guide. This section both explains a few of them in more detail and lists other methods not mentioned before.
 
===Miba, the Pygmy Village===
The Pygmy men and women that live in Miba Village love the taste of the meat from the dog-like race of kobolds found in the Libra dungeon. Among the Pygmy are skilled hunters that capture kobold slaves to do their bidding. Miba is located by taking a northern turn along the trail to the southeast of Vellis.
 
===The Libra Dungeon===
The Libra Dungeon houses a race of dog-like men and women called Kobolds. The Kobolds are fairly bitter about their loved ones being enslaved and eaten by the Pygmy people. The Libra Dungeon can be down beneath the trail leading southeast from Vellis.
 
==Lodi==
Lodi is located east off the Raphaelan Highway between Shallam and Delos. While it is a newbie area like Minia, many would suggest it is better suited for more experienced newbies. In Lodi, there are a lot of quests that can be considered somewhat harder than the ones in Minia. Among the inhabitants are farmers, gnomes, wildcats, miners, and even a pair of trolls.
 
===The Village of Gorshire===
The Village of Gorshire is situated on the southern side of the Valley of Lodi. It is home to a small community of gnomes who are enemies of the evolved wildcats near the fields.
 
===The Wildcats' Lair===
The wildcats have been lead by Scylina, Queen of the Wildcats since they evolved into sentient felines a number of years ago. Before that, they were your average family of wildcats living in a cave. Scylina and her kin are in a constant state of hostility with the rest of the inhabitants of Lodi. You may find their lair in the northwestern parts of Lodi.
 
===The Mines of Lodi===
Absent-minded miners spend their time in the Mines of Lodi, offering payment to any who can locate their lost possessions or help them out with their bat problem. Find the mines in the eastern part of Lodi.
 
=Gaining Experience=
The easiest way to gain experience is to bash denizens; you can also complete quests to gain experience. Most players opt for a combination. When you choose to bash in a certain area and find out about the quests in that area you can gain more experience and a bit of gold in the same amount of time.
 
==Bashing==
Bashing is used to refer to the killing of denizens. Each denizen you kill has an experience value. Of course the experience value you are given for a certain denizen depends on its level. You can estimate the level of a denizen using CONSIDER.
If you bash an area not frequented by other players you may kill denizens that have been alive longer. This offers you an experience bonus of up to 50% <<Right?>> added to the base experience gain for a denizen.


===Where to Bash===
==The News==
Levels 1+
The '''[[news|news system]]''' is a valuable way for adventurers to communicate with each other. It allows you to write a news post others can read on their own time. Newbies don't need to worry about the news too much at first, but you should certainly learn how to at least read the
-----------
news.
*Minia - pixies, imps, hellcats, firesprites
*Lodi - all except guard pigs, wildcat queen and soldiers
*All major cities except Eleusis - baby, young, and normal rats.


Levels 10+
*Check your News Status using the '''NSTAT'''command.
------------
*From there you can '''READNEWS <section> <post #>''' to read a specific post in a designated news board. The '''READNEXT''' command (or RN) will cycle through all posts going forward from your "last read" markers.
*Minia - kobolds and pygmies
*If you type '''NSTAT CATCHUP''', it will automatically set your "last read" marker for ALL the sections to the very last post in each section. Use NSTAT CATCHUP <section> to set your "last read" marker for one section of the news.
*Lodi - guard pigs, wildcat queen and soldiers
*Writing to the news, however, requires that you go to a news room (You can WALK TO NEWS in any city, and Delos.) Once there you can choose a section, address your post to a specific person, organisation, or everyone, and write out the news you wish to share.
*All major cities except Eleusis - old and black rats.
*Reading [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/news HELP NEWS] offers more details and other commands for using the news.


Levels 20+
==The Post Office==
------------
Each city has a '''[[post office]]''', often located near the city [[bank]], which is accessible via [[landmarks]]. There is also a general post office located in [[Delos]]. You can use LETTERLIST or LLIST to see [[letters]] in your [[inventory]] and then READ LETTER#####.
*The Great Rock (ophidians, especially warrior ophidians, afflict and team - reserve for higher levels)
*Bopalopia
*Tasur'ke (avoid sharks till much higher levels)
*Actar Valley
*Hounds in bog near Ashtan


Levels 30+
The steps for mailing a letter are:
------------
*Go to the post office and have 100 gold (the price of a generic blank letter) in your inventory.
*Manara Burrow
*REQUEST LETTER to request a blank letter.
*Petra (you can be enemied to the city of Ashtan for hunting here)
*REQUEST < SMALL or LARGE > PARCEL to request a parcel for sending items to others. A small parcel costs 200 gold and holds 10 items, while a large parcel costs 400 gold and holds 20 items. If you do not specify a size, then you will purchase a small parcel by default.
*The Underground Lake by Blackrock
*WRITE LETTER to write out what you want your letter to say.
*Jaru (you can be enemied to the city of Shallam for hunting here)
*MAIL LETTER/PARCEL TO <someone> to have it delivered via the postal system.


Levels 35+
Letters decay ten months after their purchase. If the recipient does not enter the realms before that time is up, then the letter will be returned to you, along with any items you may have shipped along with it (provided they did not decay during that time period).
------------
*Rheodad
*Enverren Marsh
*Manusha
*Cavemen village in Dun Valley
*Garnok and Thalagor, the orc and ogre villages at the foot of Dun Fortress
*Sangre Plains
*Forestwatch* and buckawns in Northern Ithmia (avoid bottom half of Forestwatch till higher levels)


Levels 40+
The postal system only works to mail letters to other adventurers or the [[Divine]]. A messenger on the [[Delosian Bridge]] stands at the ready, waiting to deliver letters from adventurers to other [[denizens]].
------------
*Green Lake
*Ulangi
*The Aeraithian Falls
*Mhojave Desert (hyenas, rattlesnakes, sidewinders, foxes, monitor lizards)
*El'Jazira
*Genji
*Polyargos (harpies, lepers - lepers cripple you)
*Dwarf and orc camps within Siroccian Mountains
*Western Vashnars
*Shala-Khulia
*Riparium
*Aran'riod
*Kamleikan
*Inbhir Ness


Levels 50+
==The Achaean Forums==
-------------
You may find further opportunities to connect with the community of players and administrators at the [http://forums.achaea.com/ Achaea Forums]. Note that the Forums are not in-character, and your character has no knowledge of information you learn there if they have no prior in-character knowledge of it. The administration is very clear about the [http://www.achaea.com/forum-rules forum rules] and frown on adventurers who disrespect them.
*Dun Fortress (not topmost level till higher levels)
*Manticore Caverns (not queen manticore or ferocious manticores)
*Maze beneath Maim's mansion*
*Scorpion pit*
*Azdun (except the graveyard, Lachesis, vampires)
*Goblin village
*Arcadia
*Thugs in sewers of Ashtan, Shallam, Hashan. Bloodleeches in Cyrene's sewers (may be more difficult than thugs).
*Black Forest (do not attack Treekins unless you want to be enemied to Oakstone)


Levels 60+
==Language Rules==
----------------
Regardless of where or how you communicate, the rules for using language in Achaea are simple. Do not inflict overly obscene language on people who you do not ''know'' are willing to hear it, and do not use discriminatory language (racist, homophobic, sexist, etc) AT ALL, in any circumstance. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/language-rules HELP LANGUAGE RULES] explains more.
*Kasmarkin*
*New Thera (you can be enemied to the city of Ashtan for hunting here)
*Darkenwood
*Aalen forest (including Tsol'aa village and grizzly bears if careful)
*Moghedu (not keepers, knights, bodyguards, or Great Mhunna till higher levels)
*Shastaan
*Harae*
*Southern Vashnars
*Sea Lion Cove
*Mysia
*Tomacula
*Parts of Belladona's Keep*
*Shala'jen Monastery*
*Confusia


Levels 70+
=Credits and Crowns=
------------
This section explains about two types of currency more valuable than gold, called [[credits]] and [[Mayan crowns]]. A word of caution: if you obtain credits and Mayan crowns through in-game means (i.e. bought from or traded with another adventurer), then you cannot trade them to your alternate characters as it would constitute [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/mayan-crowns seconds abuse].
*You're big enough to explore and find hunting spots for yourself!


==Credits==
Credits are a valuable form of [[:Category:Currency|currency]] used to buy [[:Category:Artefacts|artefacts]], trade with other adventures on the open credit market, or bind to  yourself for some other purpose. Adventurers get credits in a wide variety of methods including from other players, work as a [[mentors|mentor]], organisational credit sales, and as prizes in events or [[Fellowship of Scarlatti|art and bardic contests]]. Some adventurers supplement their in-game credits with [http://www.achaea.com/Credits credit purchases] made with real-life currency.


Remember that aside from your level your ability to fight, heal, and your skill levels determine the right place to bash. If you find an area is getting to easy, attempt to explore another area that may offer more experience, if it is too hard try to go to lower level area.
Unlike credits, which can be used as currency between adventurers, bound credits are just as their name applies - bound to your character and for your use only. Once you have bound credits, you can never transfer, buy, sell, or get a refund for them. Adventurers receive bound credits when they achieve certain levels of experience, trading in artefacts they no longer wish to own, organisational credit sales, or prizes in contests.


==Quests==
Many new adventurers used bound credits as a way to get lessons via the CREDITS CONVERT # TO LESSONS. Every adventurer will also receive a bonus of 2.5 lessons per credit on the first 1000 credits converted to bound credits, giving them a potential 2500 lessons. Other methods of obtaining bound credits, i.e. trading in artefacts, do not yield any bonus at all.
For the quests in Minia and Lodi you can refer to HELP NEWBIEQUESTS. In it you will find pointers about how to complete a scope of the available quests in the areas. There are also quests not listed in that file that you may find out about by greeting denizens and finding out about items lying around. In the other areas quests are not described and they are increasingly difficult to figure out. Sometimes simply greeting the denizens is not enough; you may need to ask them about specific things or people you have noticed in and around the area.
In addition to these local quests, there are a few quests called honours quests. Honours quests are extremely difficult to figure out and are far beyond the scope of this document. When you complete an honours quest you will get a line added to your HONOURS reference so that others can see you have successfully completed one of these illusive quests.


=Making Gold=
More resources about credits includes:
Many things you may want or need cost gold, therefore you need to find out how to make gold early on in the game. The main ways to make gold for a newbie are ratting, catching butterflies, completing quests, and fishing.
:[http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/credits HELP CREDITS]
:[http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/creditmarket HELP CREDIT MARKET]
:[http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/artefacts HELP ARTEFACTS]


==Ratting==
==Mayan Crowns==
The cities in Achaea are infested with rats. If you chase and kill these rats you can sell them to ratmen. As a reward for helping to keep the cities clean you will get a bit of gold in return. HELP RATS lists the value for each type of rats and the ratman or woman of each city.
Adventurers receive Mayan crowns in a myriad of ways which include monthly promotions, trading with other adventures, and [[ship trades]]. Crowns are used to purchase items from the [[Shop of Wonders]]. A shop filled with artefacts commonly found among the upper echelon of Achaean society, all items purchased in the shop are both resetting and non-decay (unless otherwise stated) and may be purchased as gifts for other adventures.
==Butterflies==
Perhaps the best known quest in the lands of Sapience is the butterfly quest. Greeting Vellis of Minia allows you to obtain a butterfly net. With this net you can catch butterflies found in Minia and a few areas surrounding Minia. After you return a net with butterflies in it, Vellis will pay you for each butterfly you caught. Some butterflies are harder to catch than others and are thus worth more money. A detailed explanation of how to make money using this quest is listed in HELP BUTTERFLIES.
==Quests==
Aside from the butterfly quest, there are many more quests in the lands that let you make money. The easiest ones are in Lodi and Minia where opposing sides are willing to offer you money for each corpse of their enemies you may be able to give them. There are more things you may be able to do for money though. Often requiring you to help a denizen to complete a certain task for them.
==Fishing==
The art of fishing is something that takes practice. Depending on your survival skill and sense of timing it can become very profitable. It may not be the first thing you will do to make money, but as you progress it could become more interesting to learn how to fish effectively. HELP FISHING details the process.


=Shopping=
More resources about credits includes:
After making all that gold you can start spending it. Of course you could try and convince others to sell you items, or you could gamble it all away, but a more obvious approach is to start shopping!
:[http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/mayan-crowns HELP MAYAN CROWNS]
:[http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/shopofwonders HELP SHOP OF WONDERS]


==Buying from stores==
=Customer Service=
Across the lands you will find stores, mostly in cities and in some of the villages as well. A store allows you to execute the command WARES and will show you a list of items you may buy. To look at a particular item you can LOOK <item> while visiting the store and to see more details you can PROBE <item> as well. If there are more items of a specific type you can use the number to reference the item you wish to examine, for instance: PROBE BOXERS1234.
There are many ways to contact '''Customer Support''' in Achaea depending on what you need at the time. The most frequently used are listed below.
==Buying from denizens==
Some denizens may also offer wares, if they do you can ASK <denizen> WARES and look at what they are offering. If you decide that you want to buy something from a denizen you BUY <item> FROM <denizen>
==Buying from other players==
If someone has something you want and is welling to sell it to you, you can also buy from another player. There is of course a chance that they will take your money without handing over the item, therefore we advise you to only buy from those that you trust.
==Selling goods==
If you have an item you can no longer use and are over level 11 you can use MARKET to offer it to another. The market channel is only meant for buying or selling items or services.


==Issues==
One way to obtain customer support in Achaea is to file an issue. Issues are, first and foremost, [http://www.achaea.com/irex/helpview/help.php?q=INSANE insane], so avoid discussing them on public [[channels]].


=Customising Your Character=
Think of an issue as a please for help from an administrator who serves as a magistrate, or a judge. Instead of discussing your issue or replying to an issue against you with the other party, give all information to the administrator. Keep in mind that issues are for serious situations.
As you progress exploring the lands you might want to add more detail to your character. Detail helps you to [[roleplay]] with more consistency and shows others what you are like. Here we try to describe a few of the many ways you can detail your character.
==Your Description==
One of the first things you will want to do normally is to [[describe]] your character. Your description is what someone who looks at you sees. You can use DESCRIBE ME <description> to edit your personal description. It will always start with "<name> is a <sex> <race> and is ...". The easiest way is to try a simple example and look at yourself so try DESCRIBE ME tall. and have a look. Of course a good description is usually somewhat longer than that. Description guidelines are detailed in HELP DESCRIPTION.
==Clothing Yourself==
After you have described yourself and are still only wearing the simple cloth you were given during the introductory tour you might want to find something more interesting to wear. Around the lands there are many shops with different clothing items and there are also tailors that can design custom clothing and jewellery. Shopping for clothing seems to be something that some male and female characters enjoy very much and your clothing will be listed at the end of your description.
==Your Warcry/Motto==
==Your Background==


=Class and Skills Learning=
;Examples of Bad Issues
==Myrrh==
*A wall of ice blocked my path when I tried to WALK TO MINIA.
==Weapon Proficiencies==
*Bob killed me.
==Gaining a Class via Certimene==
==Learning Skills==
==Public Teachers==


=Houses=
Issues are often addressed in the order received. If you do not hear back about your issue right away, it is likely that the administration is dealing with other issues that were filed before yours.
==What are Houses?==
==Joining a House==


=Cities=
Before you file an issue, '''''be sure it's really an issue'''''. Read [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/issues HELP ISSUES] to be sure, so you don't end up wasting the admins' time. If there is a way to resolve the reason for the issue via in character, then that typically works best for all involved.
==What are Cities?==
==Joining a City==


=Healing=
Sometimes, you may need to contact customer support for some reason, though, such as clarification on what ''exactly'' this [[artefact]] does - "Is it chewing [[tabac]] or smoking tabac that the tabac pouch generates?" - or arranging a special wedding with the aid of an administrator. <!-- actual example given by HELP 1.9 --> Such requests should be handled via the '''''ISSUE ME <message>''''' command - yes, that's a literal ''ME''.
==Healing Health==
==Healing Mana==
==Healing Endurance==
==Healing Willpower==
==Afflictions==
==Plants==
==Smoking/Pipes==
==Elixirs and Salves==


=Combat Basics=
Other times, you might be the victim of another person's griefing, which comes in many forms. In such cases, '''''you should thoroughly read [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/icresolution HELP IC RESOLUTION] before filing an issue'''''.
=Player-Killing Rules=
=Geography & Movement=
==Newbie Portals==
==Basic Geography==
==Landmarks and the WALK TO command==
==Special and Magical Movement==


=Death=
After all this, if you are sure you want to file an issue against this person, then you can use ISSUE <adventurer> <message>. The other adventurer will be notified of this and will be able to respond, aiding the administrators in making a ruling.
==Praying for Salvation==
==Other Methods of Resurrection==
==Experience Loss==
=Basic History and Mythology=


=Credits=
Please see [http://http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/customerservice HELP CUSTOMER SERVICE] for additional important information regarding issues.


=Issues and Customer Service=
==Bugs, Ideas, and Typos==
There may be times when you want to report an error or typo, or give an idea for something in the game. There is a command for each one of these things, giving you a direct line to the appropriate administrator, as listed here:
;BUG <description of the bug>
:Describe your bug in as much detail as possible listing ''when (in GMT)'', ''where (the room location)'', and ''how'' it happened. What did you do just before it happened? The more detail you give, the better the chance of it being repaired.
:Stick to the facts, and avoid describing your feelings.
:If possible, submit the bug in the room where it took place.
:If you've found a way to generate a wealth of gold or experience with very little effort, then it's probably too good to be true and should be reported with the BUG command.
;TYPO <description of the typo>
:A typo can be anything from a misspelled word to a misused word or phrase.
:Report the typo ''where (the room location)'' you saw it, if possible.
:If the typo is regarding the item or a denizen, please give the THING##### if you can, to help make it faster for the administration to find and correct it.
:Achaea is a textual realm, which means the administration really does care about fixing what might seem like a minor problem.
;IDEA <your idea here>
:Use as many details as possible.
:The administrators frequently implement player-submitted ideas. They'd love to hear yours!
:If your idea is for a specific location or denizen, then try to stand at that place when submitting your idea.


=Advanced Communication=
Finally, only report one bug, typo, or idea per use of the commands. [http://www.achaea.com/game/helpview/achaea/bugs HELP BUGS] gives more information to help you report bugs, typos, and ideas via the in-realm commands and stay up-to-date on their status.
==Shouts==
==Messages==
==Postal System & Letters==
==Newsboards==
==Forums==


[[Category:Newbies]]
[[Category:Newbies]]

Latest revision as of 22:43, 20 August 2022

Welcome to the Achaean Newbie Guide. Upon this page you will discover a comprehensive introduction to Achaea and its basics. While not every topic is explored in excruciating detail, we will frequently point you to other sources of information if you wish to learn more beyond the basics we explain here. If you are new to the lands and/or MUDs in general, read on!

What is a MUD?

The acronym MUD (or MUCK, MUSH, MMOG, etc) is most often expanded to the phrase "Multi-User Dungeon". In a MUD, a player interacts with other players alongside non-player characters - NPCs as they are called elsewhere, though we prefer the term denizen. That's nothing new on its own, but in a MUD, there are no graphics. Everything is represented by text (often coloured). But how can you play a computer game without graphics?

One oft-cited example is the comparison between reading a book versus watching a movie. Sure, there are no pretty pictures, but you might just find that the world woven with words is more vivid, more complex, and more immersive, and more compelling than any fancy CGI. It is much the same with MUDs. We don't need to worry about graphics or high-tech hardware, so we can focus on quality gameplay and a vast, immersive world.

First Impressions

Once you create a character and logged onto Achaea, you will find yourself in a world unlike any other. Achaea takes place in a fantasy environment that combines elements of classical Greece and Rome, medieval Europe, India, and ancient Persia with the elements of a wide variety of player imaginations.

It is important to note that as this world is primarily medieval/mythological, you won't find any modern technologies such as computers or television. You will, however, find a host of magical and supernatural tools and abilities to utilise, often in the form of the skills associated with your class or unique objects called artefacts.

Not all players seek to achieve the same things. Two popular ways of gaining experience are through hunting and questing. With enough experience, you can ascend to the level of Greater Dragon, where you gain the ability to assume the form of a powerful dragon.

Some quests of the lands - many which contain intricate plots and detailed storylines - will earn honourable and permanent recognition for your efforts. You may also choose to climb the political ladder and become a feared dictator or benevolent ruler of a city-state or House.

There are any number of other paths you might take - master bard, Champion or Assassin, trend-setting tradesman - and it is up to you to follow that path. Though the actions of others may influence your character, only your decisions will set your true path.

Connecting to Achaea

There are many clients that connect to Achaea. They include browser-based, downloadable, and mobile app versions. The best options to play Achaea include:

The Nexus Client
The official client of Achaea, Nexus runs in a web browser (like Google Chrome) and will work on all internet-ready devices operating systems, including Windows, Macs, and Linux. Mobile users, however, may find it operates with limited functionality. Please read HELP NEXUS for more information.
The Mudlet Client
This is a third-party downloadable client for PCs. You can find this client on the MUDLET HOME PAGE. Once you download it, have it connect to achaea.com and either port 23 or 2003. Both ports work.
The Mobile Client
This client works for Android devices. You can DOWNLOAD ANDROID or read HELP ANDROID to get started.
VIP Mud
If you're visually-impaired and use a screenreader, then this free MUD client is fully-accessible including scripting capabilities. You can visit the VIP Mud website for more information.
Other Clients
You can visit the Achaea website to learn about other third-party clients which could either be free or require purchase.

Character Creation via the Nexus Client

Character creation in Achaea is easy. Your first step is to click the PLAY NOW button on the Achaea home page. While you can login with an existing character, the steps for creating a new character are:

Selecting a Race

There are a dozen races from which to choose starting out. Clicking on any name on the intro screen gives a brief overview and lists any racial bonuses.

The races available to newbies starting out include Atavian, Dwarf, Grook, Horkval, Human, Mhun, Rajamala, Satyr, Siren, Troll, Tsol'aa, and Xoran.

Selecting a Class

A class distinguishes you from others, offering a set of three skills which allow you to take on any number of identities, including a brave knight, a magical elementalist, or a cunning thief.

The 21 classes are available to adventurers are Alchemist, Apostate, Bard, Blademaster, Depthswalker, Druid, Infernal, Jester, Magi, Monk, Occultist, Paladin, Pariah, Priest, Psion, Runewarden, Sentinel, Serpent, Shaman, Sylvan, and Unnameable.

Selecting a City

Click on the city name for a one-sentence summary. NOTE: Your choices may be limited based on the class you picked in the previous step. Forest-based classes may only reside with other nature preservationists in Eleusis, and devotion-users can only join other zealous beacons of righteousness in Targossas

Registration

It is highly recommended that you Register your character. This is in addition to the email address you gave when creating your character for the first time.

Registration helps you keep your account safe, manage multiple characters on the same account, or reset your password. While registered characters may still be purged, they are not purged nearly as quickly as otherwise.

Registration will ask for your:

  • real name
  • e-mail address
  • date of birth
  • country of residence

In addition to that, we ask you how you heard about Achaea. This tells us where to keep advertising so we can get more awesome players like you.

Character Information

This section is where you choose information specific to your character including:

Name
A good name feels fantasy, but isn't from a book or movie. If your name is overly silly, offensive, or sensitive for some other reason, then after your adventures begin you might receive a notice directing you to read HELP NAMES, which offers more information and instructions for changing your name.
Gender
You may choose to be male or female. The exceptions to this are that all satyrs are male and all sirens are female. The gender you choose now stays with you for the life of your character. It cannot be changed.
Password
Never share your password with anyone. Your password should be difficult for others to guess but something you will remember. You can read HELP PASSWORD for more information.
Email Address
Registering your character helps give Achaea an idea of the demographics of the player base, and gives players ways to keep their account safe. HELP REGISTRATION explains more about these benefits.

After you complete these sections, click Finish and your first adventure will automatically begin.

Achaea Policies

Before diving in and starting your first adventure, it's worth taking a moment to read the help file (or scroll, as they are often called) HELP POLICY SUMMARY. This is a short summary of our Achaean Policies. You can find a full list in the scroll titled HELP 15.

Adventurers who break the rules may be subject to loss of rolepoints or some other form of divine punishment up to and including permanent shrubbing. Ignorance of these rules is no excuse for breaking them.

The references are provided by the administrators for your own benefit. The vast majority of Achaean adventurers have no difficulty abiding by these policies.

Initial Quests

Escape from Miba

After choosing a name and race, you will begin your first adventure called Escape from Miba, an introductory tour of Achaea's basic mechanics. You find yourself in a dark, dank cell which you share with an old man. He explains you've been captured by pygmies and offers you a way to escape. You can use the SPEEDUP command up to nine times to increase the pace of your adventure.

At this point you may notice some words are in all caps or underlined. For example:

  • You can either click the answer, or type SAY YES / SAY NO to select one of the choices.

Words in caps are often an indication that this may be a command you can type. Romeo and Juliet often employ the same technique.

Before you know it, you will have learned how to check your inventory, unlock doors, and fight denizens, like the pygmy guard. Tips will help you learn about selecting a target and using newbie-friendly attacks known as brawling, an ability in the Survival skill which works for anyone regardless of class or race.

This initial adventure is short but packed with opportunities to use basic commands to help get you used to navigating the realm. Escaping the pygmies teaches you how to:

  • look at your surroundings and see items there,
  • find directions to exit a room,
  • drink health elixir from a vial to recover health,
  • follow another person to form a hunting group,
  • put things in your pack,
  • receive and activate a boar tattoo,
  • give things to another person,
  • spend lessons to increase your skills,
  • see your current skills and abilities,
  • and learn the basic fighting skills for your class.

As you can see, you will have a lot of things to learn, but you can progress through the adventure as quickly or as slowly as is comfortable for you.

The Cultists' Conspiracy

After you escape the dungeon, you will find yourself at "Lakeside highway", just outside the newbie land of Minia. The next thing you'll want to do is look at your tasks, which assist you in discovering the world around you. These tasks will lead you to confront Beku, a meeting which does not end well. You'll have better luck once you reach Level 10.

Hunting and questing in the newbie areas are the best way to gain levels of experience. While you can do the tasks and follow The Cultists' Conspiracy quest line at your own pace, it is best to get your tasks and quests done sooner than later. Once you reach Level 21, ogres will prevent you from entering the newbie lands.

If you get stuck, then you can always use the PORTALS command to return to the Ring of Portals. The scroll titled HELP WHATNOW and the Newbie Quickstart Guide both contain vast number of tips and pointers as well. You might also try and TELL ROMEO <message> or TELL JULIET <message> to speak with them privately, or use NEWBIE <message> to speak on the public Newbie channel.

After you defeat the cultists of Great Rock, one of your helpful companions will congratulate you over the city channel of your city. If you have completed the required tasks up to this point, defeating the cultists will unlock your city tasks.

Battlerage and the Black Warren

When you've completed enough tasks and earned the required amount of experience, you will unlock Task 224, "Battlerage Basics". As soon as you read HELP BATTLERAGE to complete Task 224, you'll receive the following notice:

*** Congratulations, you've just completed the Battlerage Basics task! ***
You feel your experience grow as a result of your accomplishment.
The quest "Finding Rhilas" has been added to your log. QUEST LOG will display your active quests.
NOTE: Depending on what room you're standing in and how many channels of communication you have access to at this point in your adventures, it could be very easy to miss this message. You can use your QUEST LOG at any time in the game to remind yourself of quests you've started. Some remain in the log even after you complete them.

If you are under Level 11, then you still have unlimited PORTALS. Even if you do not have portals remaining, if you are a newbie you can WALK TO RHILAS in the Valley of Lodi. If you GREET RHILAS, then he offers to teach you about battlerage and the "All about Batttlerage" quest is added to your Quest Log.

From here you will be tasked to find and open "The Black Warren". This quest brings to life rumours from the pixies and ratmen which tell of a sprawling rat warren stretching beneath all three newbie areas. Rat buyers are very busy denizens. If you do not get an answer the first time you ask about the Black Warren and how you can bait the rats within it to reveal entrances, then you might need to wait a minute and ask them again.

The entrances to this rat-infested retreat are disguised as holes or burrows within the natural environment. Once inside the warren, you will fight your way to the lair of Pieranotzu, the Ravenous and return to Rhilas with his corpse. Because he is protected by a great mischief of brown rats, it's best to not go alone.

Basic Commands

The following sections explain basic information on the mechanics of Achaea. The commands are your key to accomplishing everything from killing a rat (KILL RAT) in a city to completing a complicated series of quest resulting in a special line being added to your honours.

The SHOW Command

The most basic of all commands is SHOW. Using this command, you can see things about your character that fall into one of three categories:

  • Things available elsewhere in the same form, like your bank accounts, honours, or rift
  • Changed or combined versions of some things available elsewhere, like a list of orgs, gold, or your stats
  • Information you won't find anywhere else, such as the amount of lessons left in a skill

Communication

Communicating with other adventurers is one of the most important aspects of Achaea. As such, you have many options for communicating and forming communities within the lands. Most of the commands are self-explanatory and include:

  • The SAY command allows you to say something to others in your current location. Verbs like SING, WHINE, MUTTER, SNARL, and SCREAM work in place of SAY, allowing you to enhance your words.
  • Use the TELL command to communicate with others who are not in the same room with you. Using the CONFIG NAMETELLS ON command allows you to send tells using someone's name without TELL at the start. The TELLS command shows the last 50 tells you received, regardless of when you received them.
  • The CT command announces what you say to other members of your city. You can also do this using the name of your city as a command, i.e. <city> Hello! would result in (City): You say, "Hello!"
  • You can YELL something to everyone in your immediate area.
  • When you SHOUT, your voice carries across the lands. Shouting for newbies requires travelling to a Giant ram's horn or using the artefact of similar name. Except for some powerful adventurers, only the Divine know who is shouting. Spamming, insulting, and gloating are frowned upon via this method of communication.
  • The NEWBIE channel exists for you to ask questions and request basic assistance during your time as a newbie. Due to its nature, some topics might be considered insane by other adventurers. It is important to note that the newbie channel is not available for idle chatting.
  • Messages are another form of communication between players. Use MSG as a standalone command to see all the available ways to use this feature.

The rules for using language in Achaea are simple. Do not inflict overly obscene language on people who you do not know are willing to hear it, and do not use discriminatory language (racist, homophobic, sexist, etc) AT ALL, in any circumstance. HELP LANGUAGE RULES explains more.

Getting Around

Basic Movement

You have several options for moving around in Achaea. The most basic is to use the exits listed when you type LOOK or QL. The directions are at the end of the room description. You can GLANCE <direction> or GL <direction> to see what lies beyond an exit. The possible exits are N/NORTH, NE/NORTHEAST, E/EAST, SE/SOUTHEAST, S/SOUTH, SW/SOUTHWEST, W/WEST, NW/NORTHWEST, U/UP, D/DOWN, IN, and OUT.

Landmarks

If you are within 100 steps from a one of the places in your list of landmarks then you can WALK TO <landmark> directly. Landmarks are especially useful if you are lost and unsure of where to go next. In addition to the landmarks in the list, you can also WALK TO the following:

Members of Your City
This is anyone on CWHO, which shows who from your city is around right now. QWC is a QuickWho that shows the CWHO is a condensed list, without titles or class affiliation.
Denizens
This will let you try to walk to any denizen that isn't owned by another player.
If there's only one denizen named that in the game, it will try to walk to it if you're in range.
If there are multiple and you specify a number for the denizen, it will try to walk to that specific denizen.
If there are multiple and you just say, for instance, WALK TO CULTIST, the results will tend to not be very useful as which cultist you'll walk to will be unpredictable.
Personal Landmarks
You may add up to 15 personal landmarks using the command LANDMARK ADD <alias>. The alias can be anything you choose. For example, LANDMARK ADD WARREN to add a way to WALK TO the entrance to the Black Warren.

Doors

Sometimes you may encounter doors which may be open, closed, or locked. The commands for doors include:

  • OPEN - To open an unlocked door. OPEN DOOR NORTH (etc).
  • CLOSE - CLOSE DOOR DOWN (etc). Doors may lock upon closing in some cases.
  • LOCK - Have the proper key, then LOCK DOOR <direction>.
  • UNLOCK - Have the proper key, then UNLOCK DOOR <direction>.

For example, to go through a locked door to the north for which you have a key you would UNLOCK DOOR NORTH and OPEN DOOR NORTH before you could go NORTH into the room to the north.

Flying

Flying is possible if you are a member of the atavian race, have some type of flying mount or pet, or have some other special item or ability which gives you that power. FLY takes you into the skies, and LAND puts you back on the ground. If you are flying over a garden or forest environment, then you can LAND TREES to land in the treetops. It is possible to DIVE to the ground, which causes plummet head first to the surface of the ground with a sickening crunch.

Maps

There are two types of maps in Achaea, layout and illustrated. You can use the MAP command in the game at any time to see what lies around you, and MAP RADIUS 5 to expand it to its largest portion. The scroll titled HELP MAPS explains more.

Item Manipulation

There are many commands for interacting with items in Achaea, some of which are required to make an escape from the pygmies in your very first adventure. These commands work for both items you can hold in your inventory or wield in your hands, like a vial or a sword, and permanent fixtures, such as a fountain or a locked chest, which are too heavy to pick up.

The item manipulation commands include:

  • GET - Gets something from the ground or a container.
  • DROP - Drops an item. DROP 50 ASH vs. DROP ASH.
  • GIVE - Give an item to another being, like GIVE 5 CHOCOLATE TO DAVID. For gold, always use the amount: GIVE 1000 GOLD TO JANE.
  • PUT - Put an item in something. PUT GOLD IN PACK or PUT 5 JOURNAL IN PACK.
  • EX, EXAMINE - See what a creature looks like, or how tough it is.
  • P, PROBE - Information about something and what's inside it.
  • BREAK - Destroys certain fragile items.
  • KNOCK - Indicates your presence on one side of a door.
  • LIGHT - Firecrackers, Pipes, and LOTS of other things!
  • SMELL, TASTE - Food, drinks, elixirs, and sometimes other things.
  • READ - Letters, books, signs, posters, plaques, inscriptions, etc.
  • WEAR - Wear an item that you hold.
  • REMOVE - Remove an item that you are wearing.
  • WIELD - Wield an item. WIELD LEFT or WIELD RIGHT for handedness.
  • UNWIELD - Cease wielding an item.
  • POINT - POINT <thing you are holding> AT <who or what>.

Six basic commands which could be useful almost anywhere depending on the object are: PULL, PUSH, RING, SHAKE, TURN, and TOUCH.

Adventurers who wear weapon holders or a backstrap to hold their shield, can use the following commands:

  • SHEATHE- Sheathe a weapon.
  • DRAW - Draw a weapon from its respective holder.
  • DRAW STRONG - Draw a weapon from its respective holder with a flashy slash.
  • DRAW SALUTE - Draw a weapon from its respective holder in a salute.
  • LASH - Lash a shield to a backstrap.

It is possible to THROW a wielded object. HELP THROWING explains more about this method for interacting with items.

Examining Yourself and Others

There are a few commands dedicated to learning more about yourself. These commands include:

  • SCORE/SC - This is the first way to get information about your character. Based on the status of your character, it will show you a plethora of facts. HELP SCORE explains them in greater detail.
  • QSC - This command shows a quick score which only displays information relative to the status of your well-being.
  • HONOURS <person> - This shows information about another adventure or a Divine. HELP HONOURS suggests other ways to use this command.
  • LOOK <person> - LOOK <person> to see their physical description.
  • DEFENCES or DEF - The defences command brings up a list of beneficial things currently affecting you. DEFENCES BRIEF shows a less verbose list.
  • DIAG ME - This ability allows you to diagnose your ailments.

The WHO Lists

There is a plethora of commands which allow you to see who is in the realm with you at any time. The WHO command shows everyone on the same plane and visible to you. Other ways to use the command include, but are not limited to:

  • WHO - Shows everyone on the same plane and visible to you. If you have ANSI on then:
Guides will show in yellow,
Celani names are light blue,
Admins show up as bold white, and
Gods' names show up in green.
  • BW/QW - An abbreviated version of the WHO list
  • QWC - An abbreviated version of the WHO list colour coded by city affiliation.
  • QW <match> - Shows only names that match, for example QW TE would show Tecton and Telendrieth but not Titonus or Trey.
  • QW <city> - Shows members of a city. Using ROGUE will show cityless adventures.
  • WHO HERE - Lists those in your current location
  • NWHO - Shows all the newbies below level 30 in the realm right now
  • CWHO - A who list showing members of your city, or CW f
  • CLASSWHO - Shows members of your class
  • HWHO - A who list showing members of your house
  • RWHO - Shows members of your race
  • CRAFTERWHO - Shows those with cooking, jewellery, tailoring, and heraldry trade skills
  • PWHO - Lists names visible to you of those in your party channel
  • RPWHO - Names of other adventurers looking for roleplay opportunities

These lists only show adventurers who are online and visible. Some adventurers, although present in the realm, may be hidden from the lists for any number of reasons. HELP WHO explains more about the various who lists and commands for using them.

Shortcuts

Sometimes you want to get information or accomplish something in the shortest amount of time. These shortcuts might help.

  • ! - Repeats the last command you sent
  • ' or " - Alternative for SAY
  • COLOURS - See all possible colours for CONFIG COLOUR, when controlling how different things appear to you.
  • RM - Read the next message after the most recent one that you read
  • RN - Reads the next news post after the most recent one that you read
  • X - Shows obvious exits leading from your current location

Newbie Areas

New adventurers have exclusive access to three areas reserved for newbie access only: Minia, Lodi, and Mount Gheladan. After an adventurer reaches Level 21 these lands become off limits, so while in the newbie areas you are never crowded out by more experienced hunters or questing explorers.

One of the easiest way to reach the newbie lands is via PORTALS. Once there, you can READ SIGN to see where the portals lead or use Landmarks and WALK TO <area>. Additionally each of the three areas has its own special dragon that will transport you between the newbie lands.

IN MINIA: Find the dragon Auma (NE from the archway to Minia) and say, "Take me to Lodi please." or "Take me to Gheladan please."
IN LODI: Find the dragon Poraeus at the entrance to Lodi and say, "Take me to Minia please." or "Take me to Gheladan please."
IN GHELADAN: Find the dragon Lasuna at the entrance to Gheladan and say, "Take me to Minia please." or "Take me to Lodi please."

Minia

The land of Minia lies just off the Prelatorian Highway near the Aureliana forest. There are plenty of quests to keep you busy, like curing a sick kobold or returning textbooks to the Pixie Schoolteacher, and things to kill such as hellcats or Beku, the pygmy chieftain.

Vellis, the butterfly collector, resides at the Ivy-covered archway to Minia, where he hands out nets to anyone, regardless of age or level, who wishes to catch butterflies. If you linger too long, then you may incur the wrath of this otherwise kindly old man.

You can READ SIGN at the ivy-covered archway to Minia for directions to the four primary areas within Minia. These areas include:

  • The Pixie Village
Along the northern reaches of Minia, the inhabitants of the Pixie Village are ruled by the Pixie Queen, a diminutive yet imposing woman whose sworn enemy is the Imp Lord.
  • The Ember Tower
At the southeastern edge of Minia, the Ember Tower teems with mischievous imps who do the bidding of the Imp Lord, a gnarled who carries a jewelled spear and whose only goal is to make the Pixie Queen suffer. Ord, the hellcat trainer controls fierce felines who guard the tower.
  • Miba, the pygmy village
A group of pygmies led by the nefarious Beku, the pygmy chieftain, maintain a collection of kobold slaves, putting them at perpetual odds with the dog-faced creatures of the nearby dungeons.
  • The Libra dungeon
The Libra dungeon houses a race of dog-like beings called kobolds, who are fairly bitter about the enslavement (and consumption) of their loved ones by the pygmies. The Libra dungeon may be found beneath the trail southeast from Vellis.

Lodi

The valley of Lodi lies within the Putoran Hills, west off of the Raphaelan Highway. You can earn gold and experience by helping various denizens, such as killing wildcats for Constable Beck or exterminating bats from the mines.

  • The village of Gorshire
Gorshire is a quaint village situated in the southern portion of the Putoran Hills within Lodi. It is home to a community of gnomes, the sworn enemies of the evolved wildcats who prey on livestock to the north.
  • The lair of the wildcats
Deep within the northwestern area of Lodi, Scylina rules over her fellow wildcats. The Wildcat Queen and her kin hold such deep hatred for the gnomes that she will pay for their corpses.
  • The Lodi mines
The miner foreman, Dorven, oversees this undermanned mine and is always looking for adventures to help pick up the slack, whether it is eliminating pests from the mines or running shipments to his partner in Delos.

Mount Gheladan

The most recently discovered of the newbie lands, Mount Gheladan is nestled in the central Vashnar Mountains, west of the Dakhota Hills. Hostilities between the Nilari and the Murinae on the mountainside or between the bees and hornets living in caverns inside the cliffs both offer plenty of opportunity to collect a bit of gold or experience.

  • The Nilari village
The peaceful, ratlike Nilari could enjoy their thriving village if not for the constant threat of the nefarious Murinae living nearby. Ealeo, the village hunter will reward adventurers who agree to help rid him of the problem. This village is one of two in the newbie areas that offers a chance for shopping.
  • The Murinae caves
Located in the northwestern corner of the mountain, Raktai, the Murinae Chieftain pays a handsome reward for prey, especially if it is a member of the Nilari.
  • The beehive
Bixise, the Queen Bee is indifferent to most of the activity within her hive atop Mount Gheladan except two-she loves gemstones and hates hornets. Her personal guard, Intieme, is always in need of adventurers to help battle the nearby hornets.
  • The hornets' nest
Iesta, Queen of the Hornets, is a regal female with a healthy appreciation of shiny gems. She relies adventurers to assist her guardian, Niluint, with keeping the nest safe from their sworn enemies, the honeybees who live nearby.

Gaining Experience

Levels are a measure of experience. The more experience you gain, the higher your level. You can see your current level at any time on your SCORE, or by using SHOW LEVEL. Some of the benefits of gaining a level include:

Complimentary lessons - Every time you gain a level, you receive 5 lessons. If you die and fall below that level, then you lose 5 lessons. If you go below 0 lessons then, you won't be able to use or spend lessons on learning (or other things, such as adding another personal landmark to your list) until your lessons come above 0 again.
Bound credits - When you obtain certain levels for the first time, you also gain bound credits. The breakdown is:
  • Level 7 - 5 bound credits
  • Level 10 - 6 bound credits
  • Level 15 - 7 bound credits
  • Level 20 - 8 bound credits
And so forth, continuing on up every 5 levels to level 95 for 23 bound credits, then jumping by two at level 100 for 25 bound credits.
New Shouting Voice - Your shouting voice becomes stronger as you gain new levels.
Logosian - At Level 80, you no longer need to eat or sleep.
Dragon - Upon reaching level 99, you will gain the ability to change into a Dragon, granting you new powers and extra health.

Hunting

Hunting, or bashing, refers to the slaying of denizens and creatures. Every denizen has an experience value, depending on its level and strength. You can estimate this level by using PROBE or CONSIDER (i.e. PROBE WILDCAT or CONSIDER IMP). A full list of denizen strengths may be found in HELP CONSIDER.

As a newbie, you will likely want to stay within Minia, Lodi, and Mount Gheladan. Once you reach Level 21 you can try areas like the Actar Valley, Great Rock, and rats of all types in the cities (except Eleusis which has no rats).

Questing

Questing in Achaea almost always involves some type of denizen. Quests can be as simple as locating an item and delivering it to the proper denizen, or so complex that it takes many real-time days or weeks to puzzle out. You can find quests in just about every area in Achaea.

The quests in Minia, Lodi, and Mount Gheladan are relatively easy to complete. This is to help get you acclimated to the realm while teaching valuable lessons on how things work.

In many cases, starting a quest is as simple as using GREET <denizen> or saying something about quests, like "Do you have any quests for me?" Sometimes you may need to ask denizens about specific things or people you have noticed. This often results in the denizen offering you a quest. When you answer in the affirmative (either spoken or with an emote), the quest will be added to your quest log. HELP QUEST LOG tells more about this handy feature.

Some Achaean quests are far more difficult and complex than others. They may involve many steps, travel across great distances, careful timing, very dangerous situations, and so forth. These are sometimes referred to as honours quests, because those who successfully complete them will receive lasting recognition in the form of an honours line.

Making Gold

Gold sovereigns are the global currency of Achaea and is almost universally accepted as payment for food, clothing, weapons, and other goods and services. The three easiest ways to make gold, regardless of age or experience level, are ratting, catching butterflies, fishing, although hunting and questing (as explained in detail above) can generate coin as well.

The cities of Achaea (excepting Eleusis) are infested with rats. Use RATS to toggle your vision to see the movement of these vermin, then kill them and sell their corpses to any of the ratmen who will reward you with gold. There are five different types of rats, each one worth a predetermined value based on its strength.
NOTE - Rat corpses in your inventory will fall to the ground when you die or leave the realm, making them fair game for anyone to pick up and sell to a rat buyer.
Butterflies are most commonly found in Minia, the Savannah, and the Pash Valley, although they could potentially flit into any location. Once you obtain a net from Vellis at the ivy-covered archway to Minia or Aine, the Sheriff in Eleusis, WIELD NET and then attempt to CATCH BUTTERFLY. When you are finished return to the archway and GIVE NET TO VELLIS (or AINE), who will review its contents and reward you with gold. Each of the six different species of butterflies able to be caught in a net is worth a different value.
NOTE - Once you give your net to Vellis or Aine, they won't give you a new one for at least one Achaean day, which is about an hour in real time. While there is no limit to the number of butterflies a net holds, leaving the realm, dying, and releasing the butterflies allows them to escape the net. An empty net is worthless to a butterfly collector.
Fishing, while potentially lucrative, requires a great deal of practice and even more patience. Your level of success is directly proportional to your rank in the Survival skill; the more survival you know, the better your chances of catching bigger and more valuable fish. Fishing requires you to have a fishing pole, bait, and a source of water that contains fish, like a river or lake. When you tire of fishing or run out of bait, take your catches to a bait shop and SELL BAIT TO <bait shop denizen>.
NOTE - Like most everything else in Achaea, fish will decay over time so it's better to sell them as soon as possible when you finish fishing rather than waiting to do it later.

Shopping

Shopping is a popular way to spend gold. You'll find a few different ways to shop for goods and services in Achaea.

Shops exist far and wide, from your home city to faraway islands. A shop may be owned by an adventurer or a denizen, like Rurin. If you LOOK and see a line suggesting you use WARES to see what is for sale, odds are that you are in a shop. You can PROBE <thing from the WARES> to see it more closely. With your gold in your inventory, BUY <item> to purchase it.
Denizens sometimes hawk private wares. You can see what they have to sell using ASK <denizen> WARES. With your gold in your inventory, BUY <item> FROM <denizen>.
The Market channel is where adventurers buy and sell goods and services. If an adventurer offers something for sale that you wish to buy, then use TELL <adventurer> to negotiate the purchase. HELP MARKET tells more about using this channel.

NOTE: You'll notice that items for sale have a name with a number, for example PACK1234. Use the full name with number, i.e. BUY PACK1234, to make sure you're buying the right thing.

Customising Your Character

As you begin your adventures, you may wish to add a extra details to how others see your character when they LOOK at you. You can add these details using a variety of ways.

Personal Description
This is a description of your physical features. Use DESCRIBE SELF <description> to give yourself a description and DESCRIBE SELF OFF to use a generic one. Your race, gender, clothing, and anything you wield are automatically shown when someone looks at you. Otherwise it will be placed like this: (S)he is a <your race>. <Everything else.> More tips and guidelines are detailed in HELP DESCRIPTION.
For example, when you LOOK JULIET you will see: She is a mhun and is simultaneously ageless and youthful. Her face is marked with a careworn expression, and radiates warmth and welcome. Her eyes twinkle with the slightest hint of mirth, and a jovial smile comes easily to her lips.
Clothing
Your initial clothing is a bit utilitarian but you can outfit yourself in any number of fashions. You'll find clothing shops in every city, and perhaps some Villages as well. (For more information on shops for the informed newbie, please see our section on spending your gold above.)
Some adventurers take up tailoring or jewellery by profession. Use CRAFTERWHO T to find tailors and CRAFTERWHO J to find jewellers who can, in addition to their personal designs, make anything from a public list of designs found via the NEWDESIGN LIST T (or J) command. HELP CLOTHING gives more information about clothing, including how much you can wear and how it could protect you from the weather.
Motto and Warcry
A motto is a personal saying while a warcry is something you scream just before or in the heat of battle. You can use either a motto or a warcry, but you cannot have both set at the same time. Adventurers see your motto or warcry when they HONOURS <you> or when you use the appropriate command. SET MOTTO/WARCRY <your motto or warcry> to set a new one, or SET MOTTO/WARCRY CLEAR to clear it altogether. For more information on mottos and warcries, please see HELP MOTTO and HELP WARCRY.
Motto Example: If Aeyr types SET MOTTO Magic is fun! BE THE MAGIC then when he types MOTTO people will see Aeyr is filled with proud joy as he declaims, "Magic is fun! BE THE MAGIC!"
Warcry Example: If Aeyr types: SET WARCRY For the Power of Magic! then when he types WARCRY people will see Aeyr's eyes fill with battle rage as he screams out, "For the Power of Magic!"
Background
Every character in Achaea has the capability to write a publicly viewable background. This information should be written in character, as once you write your background it cannot be altered. For example, you could use your background to explain what your life was like as a child or what led you to becoming trapped in a pygmy dungeon. You do not have to write your background right away, so you have plenty of time to think about it. It is a good idea to have someone read over your background to make sure it is free of errors. You can do this by writing it on a letter or journal page first. For more information on the background system, including syntax and use, please see HELP BACKGROUND.

Your Class and Skills

Your class is a kind of profession that gives you three unique skills. These skills differentiate your class from the others. Upon starting out, using the SKILLS (or AB) command shows two types of skills: Class Skills and General Skills.

After you reach Level 10, you will also have access to miniskills, which are just what the name implies - skills with fewer abilities that take less lessons to transcend. You can read HELP SKILLS to learn more about skills, including ones that are not available until after you complete your newbie adventures.

Each skill has a range of abilities you gain access to by spending lessons at a tutor, which is either a denizen or an adventurer who knows more than you do in your target skill. Once you find someone to help, LEARN <#> <skill> FROM <teacher>. Eating myrrh or bisemutum help speed the learning process, and increase the maximum number of lessons you can spend at a time from 15 to 20.

SHOW LESSONS LEFT IN <skill> shows how many lessons you need to reach Transcendent, which is the highest of the skill ranks. As stated above, every time you gain a level, you receive 5 lessons. You might choose to convert bound credits as another way to get lessons. HELP LESSONS explains other ways.

Changing Class

If you decide to change class, visit Certimene, the Class and House Administrator in Delos. You can use landmarks to reach him directly. Once there, READ SIGN to learn how he can help.

Traits

Traits allow you to further customise your character by selecting a wide range of perks and advantages. You can further immerse yourself into daily Achaean life by choosing traits to enhance your roleplay by doubling up on your fashion accessories, give you an edge in Combat, or help you save money with discounts in Rurin's shops.

  • Level 20 - Unlocks your first Major Trait slot.
  • Level 30 - Unlocks your second Minor Trait slot.

Additionally, you will find special traits tide to your race. These are granted automatically and do not take up a trait slot.

Weapon Proficiencies

Weapon proficiencies allow you to specialise in certain classes of weapons, like longswords or flails, even if your class does not permit you to use them at the cost of 100 lessons. If your class requires a weapon, then you will automatically have the proficiency required to use it upon becoming a member of that class. If you choose to learn a new proficiency, then find the appropriate proficiency teacher and LEARN PROFICIENCY IN <weapon name> FROM <teacher> to begin your training. Then practice with the weapon until you reach mastery.

Houses

Houses are adventurer-run organisations dedicated to a common purpose. They serve as cornerstones of conflict, discovery, and camaraderie for the realm of Achaea. They can be of immense help by explaining skills, helping complete tasks, and more, especially after you pass Level 30 and no longer have access to the Newbie channel.

Joining a House

After you complete the Cultists' Conspiracy and the necessary tasks, you'll find a new category of requirements. These city tasks will introduce you to various denizens in your city while learning more about it. Joining a house has many benefits including:

  • interacting within a community of like-minded adventurers with a wealth of knowledge and resources
  • using any house expansions, such as a Master Crystal or a private forge
  • sharing in the political clout of your house, such as voting in elections or referendums
  • holding or aiding a leadership position listed in HOUSE STRUCTURE

After you complete the city tasks, then you will need to find the denizen in your city who can induct you into a house. HOUSE LIST <city> show the houses stationed in your city while HOUSE LIST <class> shows all the houses that accept a certain class. Here's a quick example using the two houses based in Delos:

Short Name In Which City Long Name
Merchants (no city) The Grand Merchant Collective
Cij (no city) The Carnivalis Institute of Jestering

Once you join a house, you can speak on your new House's newcomer channel by using HNT <message> (the HNT stands for House Newcomer Tell). See who from your house is in the realm right now using HOUSEWHO (or HWHO for short).

If you wish to join one of the two houses in Delos, which are not affiliated with a city, then you must speak with Certimene in Delos and ASK CERTIMENE JOIN <short name>.

Changing Houses

You can change your house at any time. If you decide to change houses, then it pays to learn more by talking to someone from that house. Use HELP HOUSE <short name> to view their information. There should be a section entitled [CURRENTLY IN THE REALM]. Any names listed there, next to "Able to induct:" can induct you if you speak to them privately. It is worth noting that joining a house in a different city will require you to be a citizen of that city.

Cities

Adventurers choose their cities when creating a character for the first time. Cities, also called city-states, are large settlements with some degree of control over their surrounding lands. There are six city-states you may join: Ashtan, Targossas, Hashan, Cyrene, Mhaldor, and Eleusis. Every city has its own socio-political structure, including various ministers (which are the same primary positions across Cities) and aides.

Changing Cities

Sometimes after escaping the pygmy dungeon an adventurer learns the city they chose when creating their character is not what they expected. Before joining a new city consider that cities are free to restrict their citizens in many ways.

Citizens may also be required to perform city services, serve other citizens in various manners, or join only certain Houses, listed in HOUSE LIST <city>. Be absolutely certain that you discuss these things with leaders of your intended city listed in that city's help scroll before you make a commitment to citizenship.

Once you have QUIT <city> to leave your old city and are ready to join a new one, read HELP <city> to find the denizen that can make you a citizen or the adventurers currently in the realm who are able to induct new citizens.

Healing

Regardless of your class or hobbies, every adventurer should know the basics of physical well-being and healing. There are several ways to see your basic statistics.

  • SCORE shows your stats at any time.
  • QUICKSCORE or QSC shows a more condensed version of your score.
  • CONFIG PROMPT displays these settings every time you enter a command.
  • The Nexus Client displays gauges above the command box. If you don't see them, right-click anywhere on the page and choose Gauges, making sure the green check mark appears to the left of the word.
  • CURING ON turns on Achaea's server-side curing system. Combat in Achaea can add an unprecedented level of immersion, which can make it difficult for newcomers to get started. The curing system allows adventures who are Level 10 and higher to take part in combat. The scroll HELP CURING SYSTEM explains more.

Health

There are three common ways to lose health: hunting denizens and creatures, combat with other adventures, and misadventure, a kind of adventure gone wrong. Misadventure includes things like drowning while swimming or succumbing to injuries from catching on fire during a walk through a burning forest. Failing to restore your health will lead to certain, albeit temporary, death.

Two popular ways to restore your health include sipping an elixir of health and sleeping, the latter of which also rebuilds endurance.

Mana

Certain class skills use more mana than others. The easiest ways to regain mental strength is to sip an elixir of mana and meditate, the latter also being a way to regain willpower.

Afflictions

Sometimes your adventures might lead you to become afflicted with something, like blindness or stupidity. Helpful commands offering information about these afflictions include:

  • AFFLICTION LIST - See a list of known afflictions
  • AFFLICTION SHOW <affliction> - See information about a current affliction
  • WHATCURES <affliction> - See what cures a specific affliction, for example:
WHATCURES STUPIDITY shows: The affliction 'stupidity' is cured by: Eat Goldenseal / Eat Plumbum and Focus Mind.

Refilling Vials

When you sip the last of your curative elixir then it's time to refill that vial. The easiest way to get a refill is from Seasone, the Industrious just outside of North of New Thera. Her services are some of the most costly in the land, so it is highly suggested that you find another way, such as an adventurer who can refill your vial or a shop with a tun where you can REFILL <vial|fluid|empty> WITH <tun|fluid>.

Death and Resurrection

In the event of your death, you will find you can still walk around as a soul. This movement may be stopped by eye sigils lying upon the ground and the steps you take will not count in increasing your rank in the Fellowship of Explorers.

There are a few ways in which adventurers can be resurrected from death. They are:

  • EMBRACE DEATH to take a brisk walk through the Halls of Thoth.
  • Use the starburst tattoo which instantly restores your life at half the experience loss but leaves you without defences.
  • Immolation, which takes place when another adventurer immolates your corpse in the Flame of Yggdrasil.
  • Abilities related to classes such as druid and paladin allow adventurers to resurrect their fallen peers.

It should be noted that almost every method of resurrection incurs some amount of experience loss.

Geography & Movement

During your escape from the pygmy dungeon you learn the basics of moving from place to place. The world is so much bigger, however, than what you are exposed to during your first couple of adventures.

Basic Geography

The main continent of Achaea is called Sapience, which is home to six major cities, bountiful forests, pristine lakes, and roads and highways that cross back and forth across the map linking everything together. With so much to explore, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Fortunately newbies have the PORTALS command, a kind of godly rescue which delivers you to the Ring of Portals.

The MAP Command

The MAP command shows your current location and some neighbouring rooms with hints of how they connect and what might lie in adjacent directions. MAP RADIUS 5 shows the largest portion of the map at any one time. Most of the symbols on the map are self-explanatory, such as "$" for the location of a Bank or "S" to designate Shop. HELP MAPS offers a full explanation of the key.

The Ring of Portals

The Ring of Portals is a special location on a remote location called Loom Island, which cannot be accessed by any normal means of travel. All newbies - those adventurers under level 21 - may access to the Ring with some stipulations.

  • PORTALS use is unlimited until reaching Level 11.
  • Starting at Level 11, you are allowed 20 more uses of the command.
NOTE: Going past Level 11 and dropping back below it does not restore unlimited portals.
  • Starting at Level 21, you lose access to the command, even if you did not use up your previous allotment.
NOTE: Going past Level 21 and dropping back below it does not restore use of portals.

Within the Ring of Portals are five separate rooms, each with exits to many of the most useful locations in the realms.

The Northern Portal Room
Northeast : General Cazin (Targossas)
East : Epicurus (Ashtan)
Southeast : Damaris, the Learned (Hashan)
Southwest : Liirup the Placid (Hashan)
West : Crazy Hakhim (Targossas)
Northwest : The Ratman (Ashtan)
The Western Portal Room
North : Certimene, the Class and House Administrator
South : Seasone, the Seller of Potions and Elixirs
Southwest : Tyrandiel, the Wise
Northwest : Vinci's Tattoo Emporium
The Ring of Portals
North : Portals to Ashtan, Hashan, and Targossas.
South : Portals to Cyrene, Eleusis, and Mhaldor.
East : Portals to newbie adventuring areas.
West : Portals to other useful services.
The Eastern Portal Room
North : the Valley of Lodi
Northeast : the Land of Minia
Southeast : Mount Gheladan
The Southern Portal RoomNortheast : Maric, the ratman (Mhaldor)
East : Aine, the Sheriff (Eleusis)
Southeast : Elias, the Gatekeeper (Eleusis)
Southwest : Jorj, the city caretaker (Cyrene)
West : Indalecio, the Academician (Cyrene)
Northwest : Gack, the slaver (Mhaldor)

Landmarks

Another way of getting around is using the landmarks system to WALK TO any landmark in the list that's within 100 steps of your current location. It is also possible to WALK TO <someone> in your city or house. You can use the distance ability DISTANCE TO <landmark> command to see the distance to landmarks and adventurers, but not denizens. You'll find other useful details in HELP LANDMARKS.

Class Abilities Allowing Travel

In addition to these methods of travel, there are plenty of miscellaneous tools and abilities to help you get around the realm. For example, members of the Magi class can learn the ability to create sonic portals between locations, and Serpent class members can splice wormholes to travel between two otherwise non-adjacent locations.

Artefacts for Travelling

Artefacts such as the Eagle's wings and Atavian wings allow adventurers to travel high above the clouds to a location similar to the Ring of Portals, while the wand of portals creates portals between its wielder and another adventurer.

History and Mythology

You'll find much of the history of Achaea, from Creation to the Modern Age, explained on the scroll titled HELP HISTORY. A shorter period of history, from Creation to the aftermath of the War of Humanity, exists within the Histories and Mythos page.

All adventurers have access to the Public and Announce sections of the news, as well as the worldwide Events board. You may discover lesser known histories, however, within the boards reserved for the Houses, Cities, and other organizations. HELP NEWS explains precisely how to take advantage of these newsboards.

Advanced Communication

The methods for commication extend beyond the ones previously discussed in this guide. This section both explains a few of them in more detail and lists other methods not mentioned before.

The News

The news system is a valuable way for adventurers to communicate with each other. It allows you to write a news post others can read on their own time. Newbies don't need to worry about the news too much at first, but you should certainly learn how to at least read the news.

  • Check your News Status using the NSTATcommand.
  • From there you can READNEWS <section> <post #> to read a specific post in a designated news board. The READNEXT command (or RN) will cycle through all posts going forward from your "last read" markers.
  • If you type NSTAT CATCHUP, it will automatically set your "last read" marker for ALL the sections to the very last post in each section. Use NSTAT CATCHUP <section> to set your "last read" marker for one section of the news.
  • Writing to the news, however, requires that you go to a news room (You can WALK TO NEWS in any city, and Delos.) Once there you can choose a section, address your post to a specific person, organisation, or everyone, and write out the news you wish to share.
  • Reading HELP NEWS offers more details and other commands for using the news.

The Post Office

Each city has a post office, often located near the city bank, which is accessible via landmarks. There is also a general post office located in Delos. You can use LETTERLIST or LLIST to see letters in your inventory and then READ LETTER#####.

The steps for mailing a letter are:

  • Go to the post office and have 100 gold (the price of a generic blank letter) in your inventory.
  • REQUEST LETTER to request a blank letter.
  • REQUEST < SMALL or LARGE > PARCEL to request a parcel for sending items to others. A small parcel costs 200 gold and holds 10 items, while a large parcel costs 400 gold and holds 20 items. If you do not specify a size, then you will purchase a small parcel by default.
  • WRITE LETTER to write out what you want your letter to say.
  • MAIL LETTER/PARCEL TO <someone> to have it delivered via the postal system.

Letters decay ten months after their purchase. If the recipient does not enter the realms before that time is up, then the letter will be returned to you, along with any items you may have shipped along with it (provided they did not decay during that time period).

The postal system only works to mail letters to other adventurers or the Divine. A messenger on the Delosian Bridge stands at the ready, waiting to deliver letters from adventurers to other denizens.

The Achaean Forums

You may find further opportunities to connect with the community of players and administrators at the Achaea Forums. Note that the Forums are not in-character, and your character has no knowledge of information you learn there if they have no prior in-character knowledge of it. The administration is very clear about the forum rules and frown on adventurers who disrespect them.

Language Rules

Regardless of where or how you communicate, the rules for using language in Achaea are simple. Do not inflict overly obscene language on people who you do not know are willing to hear it, and do not use discriminatory language (racist, homophobic, sexist, etc) AT ALL, in any circumstance. HELP LANGUAGE RULES explains more.

Credits and Crowns

This section explains about two types of currency more valuable than gold, called credits and Mayan crowns. A word of caution: if you obtain credits and Mayan crowns through in-game means (i.e. bought from or traded with another adventurer), then you cannot trade them to your alternate characters as it would constitute seconds abuse.

Credits

Credits are a valuable form of currency used to buy artefacts, trade with other adventures on the open credit market, or bind to yourself for some other purpose. Adventurers get credits in a wide variety of methods including from other players, work as a mentor, organisational credit sales, and as prizes in events or art and bardic contests. Some adventurers supplement their in-game credits with credit purchases made with real-life currency.

Unlike credits, which can be used as currency between adventurers, bound credits are just as their name applies - bound to your character and for your use only. Once you have bound credits, you can never transfer, buy, sell, or get a refund for them. Adventurers receive bound credits when they achieve certain levels of experience, trading in artefacts they no longer wish to own, organisational credit sales, or prizes in contests.

Many new adventurers used bound credits as a way to get lessons via the CREDITS CONVERT # TO LESSONS. Every adventurer will also receive a bonus of 2.5 lessons per credit on the first 1000 credits converted to bound credits, giving them a potential 2500 lessons. Other methods of obtaining bound credits, i.e. trading in artefacts, do not yield any bonus at all.

More resources about credits includes:

HELP CREDITS
HELP CREDIT MARKET
HELP ARTEFACTS

Mayan Crowns

Adventurers receive Mayan crowns in a myriad of ways which include monthly promotions, trading with other adventures, and ship trades. Crowns are used to purchase items from the Shop of Wonders. A shop filled with artefacts commonly found among the upper echelon of Achaean society, all items purchased in the shop are both resetting and non-decay (unless otherwise stated) and may be purchased as gifts for other adventures.

More resources about credits includes:

HELP MAYAN CROWNS
HELP SHOP OF WONDERS

Customer Service

There are many ways to contact Customer Support in Achaea depending on what you need at the time. The most frequently used are listed below.

Issues

One way to obtain customer support in Achaea is to file an issue. Issues are, first and foremost, insane, so avoid discussing them on public channels.

Think of an issue as a please for help from an administrator who serves as a magistrate, or a judge. Instead of discussing your issue or replying to an issue against you with the other party, give all information to the administrator. Keep in mind that issues are for serious situations.

Examples of Bad Issues
  • A wall of ice blocked my path when I tried to WALK TO MINIA.
  • Bob killed me.

Issues are often addressed in the order received. If you do not hear back about your issue right away, it is likely that the administration is dealing with other issues that were filed before yours.

Before you file an issue, be sure it's really an issue. Read HELP ISSUES to be sure, so you don't end up wasting the admins' time. If there is a way to resolve the reason for the issue via in character, then that typically works best for all involved.

Sometimes, you may need to contact customer support for some reason, though, such as clarification on what exactly this artefact does - "Is it chewing tabac or smoking tabac that the tabac pouch generates?" - or arranging a special wedding with the aid of an administrator. Such requests should be handled via the ISSUE ME <message> command - yes, that's a literal ME.

Other times, you might be the victim of another person's griefing, which comes in many forms. In such cases, you should thoroughly read HELP IC RESOLUTION before filing an issue.

After all this, if you are sure you want to file an issue against this person, then you can use ISSUE <adventurer> <message>. The other adventurer will be notified of this and will be able to respond, aiding the administrators in making a ruling.

Please see HELP CUSTOMER SERVICE for additional important information regarding issues.

Bugs, Ideas, and Typos

There may be times when you want to report an error or typo, or give an idea for something in the game. There is a command for each one of these things, giving you a direct line to the appropriate administrator, as listed here:

BUG <description of the bug>
Describe your bug in as much detail as possible listing when (in GMT), where (the room location), and how it happened. What did you do just before it happened? The more detail you give, the better the chance of it being repaired.
Stick to the facts, and avoid describing your feelings.
If possible, submit the bug in the room where it took place.
If you've found a way to generate a wealth of gold or experience with very little effort, then it's probably too good to be true and should be reported with the BUG command.
TYPO <description of the typo>
A typo can be anything from a misspelled word to a misused word or phrase.
Report the typo where (the room location) you saw it, if possible.
If the typo is regarding the item or a denizen, please give the THING##### if you can, to help make it faster for the administration to find and correct it.
Achaea is a textual realm, which means the administration really does care about fixing what might seem like a minor problem.
IDEA <your idea here>
Use as many details as possible.
The administrators frequently implement player-submitted ideas. They'd love to hear yours!
If your idea is for a specific location or denizen, then try to stand at that place when submitting your idea.

Finally, only report one bug, typo, or idea per use of the commands. HELP BUGS gives more information to help you report bugs, typos, and ideas via the in-realm commands and stay up-to-date on their status.