Catching Up

A LOT has changed on the mud and if you haven't checked it out recently, what are you waiting for? Get on and get exploring! But those changes mean that a lot of information on the blog is out of date and just wrong now. I'm trying to sift through the information and update things so that this blog can continue to be a resource of useful information, but it's going to take a while. So if you, dear reader, see things that are inaccurate, would be so kind as to let me know? I can reached at wotmudnewb@gmail.com, or even better, just leave a comment on the offending post! In the meantime, I will say that I'm working on updating the quest information. It seems as though Grizzled Adventurers have been removed, but other quest givers have taken their place. So if you're looking for information on a quest and you don't see it on the World Quests page, let me know and I'll work on updating that for you. So thanks for stopping by, thanks for checking out the blog, and be sure to leave me a comment, whether to call out some misinformation or just to say hi! And get back into the game!

A New Beginning

It's been five years since I last updated this blog. A lot of things have changed, but many things remain the same, including what a fantastic game this is to play. There are a lot of things happening on WoTMUD these days, and I'm eager to find out exactly what's new and what's coming up.

So I'm back, and I don't really know what that's going to look like right now in terms of the blog. I don't consider myself a newbie anymore, but I still want to continue to add to this information dump in a way that is interesting and informative.

If anyone has suggestions or questions or would like to contribute to the blog, please feel free to dive right in! You can contact me at wotmudnewb@gmail.com.

Lifestyles of the Geared And Listed

Hey everyone! This week was a somewhat sleepy week for pk, but Kyra deserves congratulations this week for attaining Sei'taer 1 and knocking Tzao down to second place. Yeri also knocked Milian off the list and makes his appearance in seventh place. There was little activity on Light Side besides Elyse regaining the list in seventh position. Reaver saw Hress join the list in sixth place and Rudra dropping down to seventh.

Today's PK highlight demonstrates something that we talked about on Monday: getting disengaged by a bash, with disastrous results. Posted by Lykan in the "Ouch! Stab Thread!" thread on Art of War.

o R S HP:Wounded DP:Strong MV:Winded > s
s
k human
The Blight
[ obvious exits: N E S ]
There are some bloody traces of a human leaving south.
There are some bloody traces of a trolloc leaving east.
There are some bloody traces of a human leaving south.
There are some tracks of a ridden mount leaving south.
The corpse of Ghraak is lying here.
A black shadow stallion paws the ground here, fiery-red eyes shining with evil, being ridden by you.
*Doyle* is standing here mending a weapon, riding a gray palfrey.

bash
* R S HP:Wounded DP:Strong MV:Winded > The Blight
[ obvious exits: N E S W ]
There are some bloody traces of a human leaving west.
There are some tracks of a ridden mount leaving south.
There are some tracks of a ridden mount leaving north.
There are some tracks of a ridden mount leaving north.
A lantern has been left here.
A black shadow stallion paws the ground here, fiery-red eyes shining with evil, being ridden by you.
*Ellysa* is here, fighting a ramshorned trolloc.
*Edard* is here, fighting a ramshorned trolloc, riding a warhorse.
A ramshorned trolloc is here, fighting Edard.
You sense a hidden life form in the area...

* R S HP:Wounded DP:Strong MV:Winded > You try to slash *Ellysa*, but she parries successfully.

trong MV:Winded - a ramshorned trolloc: Battered - Ellysa: Battered >
*Ellysa* strikes a ramshorned trolloc's left foot.
A ramshorned trolloc tickles Edard's body with his cleave.

-
*Edard* sends a ramshorned trolloc sprawling with a powerful bash!

=
Cernunnos has arrived from the south.

+
Cernunnos tries to pierce *Ellysa*, but she parries successfully.

-
Cernunnos tries to pierce *Ellysa*, but she parries successfully.
You slash *Ellysa*'s right leg hard.
*Ellysa* strikes a ramshorned trolloc's body.
*Edard* pounds a ramshorned trolloc's right leg very hard.

*Ellysa* panics, and attempts to flee!
As *Ellysa* avoids your bash, you topple over and fall to the ground!
Suddenly *someone* places a sharp, red stone dagger in your back!
You are dead! Sorry...
You feel the Weave of the Wheel loosen from you.
You feel a sense of shame at your loss.
Ouch! You lose a level.
Circle of Darkness
[ obvious exits: N E S W U D ]
A revolting well bubbles with the blood of the sacrificed.
The News Board is mounted on the wall here.
Zygr the Wolfish Trolloc is standing here.

Movers and Shakers:

Red indicates a drop in the list and green indicates a rise.


  Sei'taer of the Zeroth Turn
  ---------------
  1. Kyra the hunter of Kirendad
     -- slew Hoeg of Murandy on the 17th of Adar, 943

  2. Tzao the hunter of Seandar
     -- slew Brale of the Borderlands on the 1st of Jumara, 943

  3. Lakitu the hunter of Noren M'Shar
     -- slew Wobor of Kandor on the 4th of Nesan, 933

  4. Tuk the hunter of Seandar
     -- slew Tahla of Two Rivers on the 7th of Amadaine, 943

  5. Tekela the hunter of Shon Kifar
     -- slew Briana of Illian on the 10th of Amadaine, 900

  6. Ragen the rogue of Seandar
     -- slew Scrat the Myrddraal on the 7th of Jumara, 942

  7. Yeri the warrior of Seandar [Imperial Army]
     -- slew Roberto of the Borderlands on the 26th of Jumara, 944

 Ta'veren of the Zeroth Turn

  ---------------

  1. Raspen of Arafel

     -- slew Knuckle the Ramshorned Trolloc on the 15th of Jumara, 944

  2. Fyran of Tarabon

     -- slew Khunark the Myrddraal on the 21st of Jumara, 944

  3. Vaen of Shienar

     -- slew Khugdd the Wolfish Trolloc on the 15th of Taisham, 944

  4. Ryalth of Kandor

     -- slew Gulwinid of Tarabon on the 23rd of Tammaz, 942

  5. Daeny of Tarabon

     -- slew Zil the Seandar on the 3rd of Saban, 944

  6. Salvador of Shienar

     -- slew Ruff the Boarheaded Trolloc on the 13th of Tammaz, 937

  7. Elyse the channeler of Illian [Yellow Ajah]

     -- slew Teddy the Wolfish Trolloc on the 10th of Choren, 943

Reavers of the Zeroth Turn

  ---------------

  1. Mangler the Dreadlord

     -- slew Astolfo of the Borderlands on the 9th of Choren, 943

  2. Khazar the Myrddraal

     -- slew Aang of Arafel on the 9th of Saven, 886

  3. Jaster the Myrddraal

     -- slew Veryl of Kandor on the 22nd of Saban, 943

  4. Kain the Myrddraal

     -- slew Theid of Saldaea on the 18th of Tammaz, 921

  5. Serkhan the trolloc Rogue

     -- slew Valkner of Arafel on the 19th of Taisham, 944

  6. Hress the Myrddraal

     -- slew Guntharg of Two Rivers on the 27th of Jumara, 944

  7. Rudra the trolloc Rogue [Ko'bal]

     -- slew Sarryn of Saldaea on the 6th of Danu, 943

A Slowing Down

With the ending of summer comes the beginning of...well, more responsibility. I'll be posting a little less frequently on the blog, though the features will still remain. I'll probably reduce blog posts from 5 a week to 3-4, depending on the week. I will still be updating the information pages and welcome all contributions to the knowledge base! I'm also looking for someone with the ability to fancy up the database pages.

Thanks everyone for reading the blog! There's still many more adventures to come! :)

Wot About You Wednesday: Janielle

Hey everyone! Welcome to Wot About You Wednesday! Today, we are welcoming Janielle, from the Illian Companions. Welcome Janielle!


How long have you been a part of the WoTMUD community?

I started in WotMUD around June of 2011. So a little over a year now.


Tell us a bit about yourself irl. (for ex. age, sex, job, hobbies, anything not-WoT related.)

I am 22 and finishing up my acting degree in New York. I am planning on taking the LSAT in the Fall and law school next year. I bartend in Manhattan when I don’t have an acting gig lined up. I am an avid reader, gamer (PC and Playstation all the way!) and play soccer in what little free time I have.


Most memorable "newbie" experience?

Hmm. I have no idea who it was, but I remember being like level 12 or 13 on my old female channeler. Had never played a MUD or knew anything about pk. I war RP-ing with a friend our journey from the Two Rivers to Tar Valon for me to go to the White Tower and him to train as a Warder. Neither of us knew anything about pk, or this being a pk mud or that becoming a Warder/Aes Sedai was REALLY hard. We we in Caemlyn for the first time, reading room descriptions and getting excited when we killed things like elk. Then a bunch of DS show up and attack our 3 person party of newbs. I try to weave, not knowing that it is near impossible at that level against actual players. I ended up dying. When I left the circle, there was a player (again so sorry I forgot the name!!!) who had heard that I was killed and collected a spare set of equipment for me for free. That sort of thing always stuck with me (except for names....).


Name one thing you miss about being a kid.

I miss Halloween, like where you could actually leave at 6 and not be home until midnight and no one cared or tried to give you apples with razorblades in them or abduct you. Halloween was awesome.


What is your favorite part of the mud (ie, pk, rp, questing, smobbing)?

I like all of it really. Except in the biggest pks, I try to keep most of my actions on the mud in character, so I like when pk and smobbing can be extension of your RP. I remember a mobraid that Tlaloc ran in Caemlyn and he had the mobs yelling things at us, shouting orders to troops and it was one of the best things I have done on the MUD. Mob raids are relatively easy to fight, but grouping up and fighting off with Tlaloc doing what he does best made it so incredibly immersive.


What made you decide to join the Companion clan? 

I joined the Companions mostly because an old friend of mine in the game recommended them. They were essentially a dead clan when I joined, it was only me, one friend, and off and on the Councillor Atienne. Eventually we built up and now the clan is pretty active. I loved the Companions from the book series, so since I cannot make a female Warder I thought the Companions would be a lot of fun to join.


What's the best thing about your clan?

The thing I love about the Companions is that it is small. I know all of the clan members well, talk to them often, and everyone is willing to help. We have a myriad of pkers, RPers, smobbers, questers, and no one cares. It is not a clan that devotes to pk, so for people like me who are only moderate at pk it is really nice to be in a clan that doesn’t demand it or that you are good at it. There is plenty of pk to be had and we go out in smob groups quite often. There is just a great sense of friendship amongst the clan.


Why should people join your clan?

The Companions are relatively low key. You can really do whatever you want, pk wherever you want and you don’t have to jump through hoops to get in or stay in. We help each other out as much as we can, giving gear or smobbing to get it, teaching pk and such. There is no pressure to rank quickly or slowly, or to be out pking. You really can play your character however you want and that more than anything is what I love about us.


What should they know before they apply?

We might not be the most well-respected or prestigious or bonused clan in the game, but if you are looking for a nice, welcoming atmosphere with a group of fun people, the Companions are definitely worth giving a look into.


Candy or ice cream?

Candy. Hands down. Milky Way. Or sour gummy worms. Key to my heart.


What is your biggest accomplishment in the game?

I primarily play this character, so each time I rank Janielle I find it really rewarding. I hope to go for Master (rank 7), but that will likely take me a few years. I have been a Councillor for the Companions for a while now, and I think my biggest personal accomplishment has been being able to help administrate the clan as it became more active again. It had like 3 active members when I started in the clan, now we have upwards of 10 or 11. Not saying that was my work that did that, but just seeing the clan that I love come back is incredibly rewarding.


What are your goals in the game?

I have always wanted to have a Master character and an Aes Sedai. I started the game playing a female channeler and played with the intention of only having one character, an Aes Sedai. So I still hope to maybe wear the shawl one day, but a more realistic goal is to master Janielle.


If you could change one thing about the mud, what would it be?

One thing to change....I would want to find a way to pay our Immortals. They do a phenomenal job with the access to the code they have, the time constraints, and even the low number of them. They do all of this without any sort of compensation. I think that if we were able to pay them it would show how much we do appreciate their work (even if all we do is moan and whine on forums) and we would hate for the game to stop running. And if they were paid we could attract more Immortals and their time would be rewarded, so they would burn out at a lower rate and be less tired when doing the work. Could be way off base and I am pretty sure you are not able to do it, but I think that would really help the MUD.


What is your motto in life?

When life gives you lemons, you say ‘f*** the lemons.’ And bail.


What advice do you have for newbies just starting out?

Don’t be discouraged by the difficulty of this game! It is very hard and takes a long time to get acquainted with, but it is a great game. And there are plenty of people who will help you with equipment, game mechanics, or the map. Just stick it out and this game can be really fantastic. I know I have considered quitting a lot, but I am happy each time I did not.

Thanks for taking the time to share with us, Janielle! Good luck with the LSAT! If you guys have any questions for Janielle, leave a comment below and we'll try to get those answered. If you are interested in being featured on Wot About You Wednesday, contact me on the forums or by emailing me at wotmudnewb@gmail.com.

Bashing 101

I'm probably the last person who should be telling anyone about bashing, but I figure the best way to start a conversation is to jump right in. Hopefully some of you correct or clarify where I'm wrong!

Before we start, I wanted to remind you of the log that brought this all up (posted by Kyra in the Ouch! Charge Thread! thread):

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh > kill h.human
They aren't here.

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh > *Novus* has arrived from the south, riding a gray palfrey.
You lance *Novus*'s body hard.

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh - Novus: Hurt > kill human
You do the best you can!

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh - Novus: Hurt > 
Arthur narrates 'edakim'

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh - Novus: Hurt > You do the best you can!

* R HP:Hurt MV:Full - Novus: Hurt > You lance *Novus*'s head.
You do the best you can!

* R HP:Hurt MV:Full - Novus: Hurt > nar on noovus
b
You narrate 'on noovus'

Nikolai narrates 'firetruck her she bashes nice'
[bash ]


You dodge a bash from *Novus* who loses his balance and falls!

+b
Cancelled.
[bash ] 

disen
=charge h.human
Cancelled.
You disengage from the fight.

* R HP:Hurt MV:Full > charge h.human
You line up your charge...

Cancelled.
You line up your charge...


Chaaaaarrrge!! *Novus* bleeds profusely as you skewer him with a partisan bearing the arms of Ghealdan!
This session you've landed 123 out of 231 charges (53% landed)
*Novus* is dead! R.I.P.
You feel the Weave of the Wheel tighten around you.
You receive your share of experience...
Oh, much better the second time around.
Your blood freezes as you hear *Novus*'s death cry.

So, you've practiced bash, you've practiced ride to at least level 6 and you've got a good bashing weapon. Now what? Time to start bashing, of course! Every time you bash something or someone, except under certain circumstances, your opponent will be "sat down" for two rounds and won't be able to hit you. They are literally sitting. This is important to note, because other game mechanics affect this. After two rounds, they automatically stand back  up and resume fighting, though you won't see a room echo reflecting this. They'll just start hitting you again.

Occasionally, you will find that your bash only lands for one round. This normally happens when someone tries to flee immediately prior to getting bashed. In that case, the flee will execute after the first round, rather than waiting for the full duration of the bash. This is known as a one-round bash.

Sometimes, you will miss a bash, and this is where Kyra's knowledge of game mechanics and quick reactions helped her secure her kill. Sometimes when you miss, you disengage from your target. If you've ever gone smobbing, you know that sometimes if you're not buffing and you miss a bash, you have to manually stand up and re-enter combat. Well, the same is true when you're fighting another person. In most cases, your next auto-attack will force the other person to stand up and re-engage, but if you're really quick, you can do as Kyra did, and disengage. Since she had started a bash already, her auto-attacks had stopped. She saw immediately that Novus had disengaged due to his bash and she hadn't hit him yet, so she was able to disengage herself from the fight and charge him before he could react, thus netting her the kill.

Being aware of the mechanics of bashing is very important. There are other situations where you could find yourself sitting or dangerously disengaged due to a bash. Probably the most dangerous of all is when a stabber is trying to stab you. I have seen a number of logs on the AoW forum of people missing bashes and immediately getting stabbed because they were disengaged from their target.

Hopefully this information can help you be more aware of what's happening during combat and avoid the perils of bash disengage!

Lifestyles of the Geared and Listed

Wow, there was tons of shuffling going on this week for Seanchan and Light Side! Tzao is the only Sei'taer to remain in his spot. Kyra and Tuk both moved up and Milian found himself back on the list. Meanwhile, Lakitu, Tekela and Ragen were bumped down the list. On Light Side, Vaen and Fyran once again traded spots, with Fyran knocking Vaen out of second place. Elyse found herself knocked off the list while Daeny and Trepid both moved up. The only source of calm this week seemed to be Dark Side with no movement whatsoever on the Reaver list.

Today's PK highlight features a great charge by Sei'taer Second, Kyra. It shows how quick thinking and knowing game mechanics can help you get kills. We'll talk about this kill and the mechanics of bashing on Monday, so be sure to check in for that!

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh > kill h.human
They aren't here.

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh > *Novus* has arrived from the south, riding a gray palfrey.
You lance *Novus*'s body hard.

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh - Novus: Hurt > kill human
You do the best you can!

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh - Novus: Hurt > 
Arthur narrates 'edakim'

* R HP:Hurt MV:Fresh - Novus: Hurt > You do the best you can!

* R HP:Hurt MV:Full - Novus: Hurt > You lance *Novus*'s head.
You do the best you can!

* R HP:Hurt MV:Full - Novus: Hurt > nar on noovus
b
You narrate 'on noovus'

Nikolai narrates 'firetruck her she bashes nice'
[bash ]


You dodge a bash from *Novus* who loses his balance and falls!

+b
Cancelled.
[bash ] 

disen
=charge h.human
Cancelled.
You disengage from the fight.

* R HP:Hurt MV:Full > charge h.human
You line up your charge...

Cancelled.
You line up your charge...


Chaaaaarrrge!! *Novus* bleeds profusely as you skewer him with a partisan bearing the arms of Ghealdan!
This session you've landed 123 out of 231 charges (53% landed)
*Novus* is dead! R.I.P.
You feel the Weave of the Wheel tighten around you.
You receive your share of experience...
Oh, much better the second time around.
Your blood freezes as you hear *Novus*'s death cry.

Movers and Shakers:

Red indicates a drop in the list and green indicates a rise.


  Sei'taer of the Zeroth Turn
  ---------------
  1. Tzao the hunter of Seandar
     -- slew Brale of the Borderlands on the 1st of Jumara, 943

  2. Kyra the hunter of Kirendad
     -- slew Brale of the Borderlands on the 1st of Jumara, 943

  3. Lakitu the hunter of Noren M'Shar
     -- slew Wobor of Kandor on the 4th of Nesan, 933

  4. Tuk the hunter of Seandar
     -- slew Elyse of Illian on the 15th of Nesan, 942

  5. Tekela the hunter of Shon Kifar
     -- slew Briana of Illian on the 10th of Amadaine, 900

  6. Ragen the rogue of Seandar
     -- slew Scrat the Myrddraal on the 7th of Jumara, 942

  7. Milian the hunter of Seandar
     -- slew Kat of Arafel on the 23rd of Aine, 943

 Ta'veren of the Zeroth Turn

  ---------------

  1. Raspen of Arafel

     -- slew Xafelar the Dreadlord on the 23rd of Adar, 942

  2. Fyran of Tarabon

     -- slew Cronus the Ramshorned Trolloc on the 6th of Tammaz, 929

  3. Vaen of Shienar

     -- slew Nikolai the Noren M'Shar on the 18th of Tammaz, 942

  4. Ryalth of Kandor

     -- slew Gulwinid of Tarabon on the 23rd of Tammaz, 942

  5. Daeny of Tarabon

     -- slew Arthur the Seandar on the 8th of Saban, 943

  6. Salvador of Shienar

     -- slew Ruff the Boarheaded Trolloc on the 13th of Tammaz, 937

  7. Trepid of Shienar

     -- slew Ryak the Wolfish Trolloc on the 14th of Aine, 943

Reavers of the Zeroth Turn

  ---------------

  1. Mangler the Dreadlord

     -- slew Trik of Shienar on the 8th of Taisham, 943

  2. Khazar the Myrddraal

     -- slew Aang of Arafel on the 9th of Saven, 886

  3. Jaster the Myrddraal

     -- slew Veryl of Kandor on the 22nd of Saban, 943

  4. Kain the Myrddraal

     -- slew Theid of Saldaea on the 18th of Tammaz, 921

  5. Serkhan the trolloc Rogue

     -- slew Krogar the Wolfish Trolloc on the 23rd of Saban, 943

  6. Rudra the trolloc Rogue

     -- slew Mhaliah of Two Rivers on the 27th of Tammaz, 942

  7. Lormor the Myrddraal

     -- slew Roshnee of Illian on the 22nd of Danu, 941