Stories: Exploring • Quitting • Recalls • An Unsettling Encounter

Exploring

Oh yes… There’s much out there, indeed. There’s really great places and some really awful critters to behold too. See this scar? I walked right into a dragon’s cave. But that’s irrelevant, anyway.

I think I was saying that this world is a big place filled with nasty things, but that’s what makes the adventure so much fun. When a true adventurer grows too comfortable in his surroundings there’s a sort of itch, an uncomfortable urge that drives them onward, makes ’em wanna discover more of the world.

You see, as you learn more and more of the world, sure you discover more of the nasty critters, or they discover you. But you also uncover clues, items, equipment, and knowledge that will help you to survive exploring things that don’t even seem possible today!

Explorin’s ever so easy to do. As easy as wandering around. Well, it’s easier if you keep track of where ya are. Ya see, take Darkhaven: walk completely around it and keep track of all the paths in from the forests, plains, and mountains. You have just done a good bit of explorin’! And if you walk through town, goin’ up and down the streets and alleys, noticin’ where the shops and businesses and other places of some interest are, then you have explored the town. It’s that simple.

Then you combine all that well-achieved knowledge that you learned in the town with what you learned about the paths outside town and you’re becoming a good adventurer! About the town: all manner of activities go on there. And there’ll be times when you are glad to know a safe place to relax after a rough battle or a place to restock your supplies; food and items to heal with in battles.

The more ye look around, the more ye discover and, once you know the town, you’ll want to start off down one of those paths outside of town. When you’ve gone a little way, you have added that much more to your knowledge. You’ll know what choices of directions are along that path.

You’ll discover what dangers lie along it and, with any luck, you’ll discover more things that can be of use to you. Always know where you are. Use the WHERE command to know what your location is named: the AREAS command hints about what level of adventurers might find the area interesting. The areas closest to the city here are fairly safe due to the constant parties of adventurers from the city. However, places of danger are scattered all about, so always adventure prepared.

Have items that HEAL for when the battle turns against you. Have RECALL scrolls to RECITE in case you find yourself too deeply into trouble. Notice the landmarks that you pass so that you can walk back to town or to safety.

Surely as you adventure you’ll pass a few trails, leaving them unexplored as you go on to explore another. When you get to a point where you cannot go on, whether it be fierce danger or a simple dead end, you can always return to one of the unexplored paths.

As you continue your explorations, you may gain the items, equipment, or knowledge you need to overcome that previously fierce spot or discover a way to travel beyond a dead end. But surely I’m boring you by now with my stories and ramblings, you’re already on the path to becoming an adventurer. Soon you will be buying me an ale and regaling me with stories of your own.