Newbie Guide (Draft)

The main goal of the Cleft of Dimensions is, very simply, to kill monsters to gain levels. This is facilitated by gaining 'experience points' or XPs. After gaining 2000 of them, your character gains a level.
As you gain levels, your character becomes stronger and thus monsters become easier to kill. The easier a monster is, the less XP you gain upon killing it. To counteract this, you need to seek out and kill progressively bigger and nastier monsters.
Gaining a level also allows you to:
* Use better weapons, armor, and other gear, which enhances your combat abilities AND
* Learn new skills and spells, which equally enhance your combat abilities
To sum up, you need to gain levels in order to use better items, and get new abilities, which both let you kill more monsters to gain even more levels.
When you start a new character, you have a choice between two starting towns:
1) Truce, a diverse port city recommended for those new to MUDs or the Cleft of Dimensions. This is also the orignal starting point, and is generally agreed to have more easily accessible linked areas.
2) Viorar, a city which is shrouded in eternal night and is slightly more difficult for newcomers. This town is much more recently added as a starting point, and also has a slightly higher learning curve.
=Newbie Guide to Weapons and Armor=
This section will teach you where and how to buy weapons and armor for certain levels.
Buying in Bulk: To buy an item in bulk, simply enter the command 'buy #*item.' For example, buy 5*sword will buy you five swords, as long as you have enough money to buy the desired quantity of said item. To buy one at a time, simply type 'buy item'.
Buying Specific Items: When multiple items of the same name are listed, type 'buy #.item', where # is the position of the item in a list of that name; such that if there are two 'swords' listed, typing 'buy 2.sword' would buy the second sword in that list.
Try Before You Buy: The INFO command, when used in a shop, shows what hours the shop is open, and how much of a profit the shop has when buying and selling.
It can also be used with a target to get information on an item that shop sells, like a Scan spell or Identify scroll will. This is a free service, and is useful for comparing a new item to what you already have.
Truce and Viorar are rather different in their setups, with Truce being laid out with the more traditional main streets on east/west and north/south axes while Viorar's main streets are a pair of circles. Both towns have a central Fountain, which is also the recall point for that town. (Maps to follow before putting this live)
=Truce and Surrounding Area Shops=
==Misc. Item Shops==
===Beggar's Stand===
An unnamed beggar in Truce, north and west of the fountain, sells a cheap but short-lasting light along with a variety of level 0 armor.
===Tent of Subsistence===
(Two rooms West and one room North from the fountain.)
Fritz supplies many adventurers with the basic supplies needed for adventuring.
All level 0 (Which mean they can be bought and used by all!), his list includes
three different types of food, water bottles for carrying water about, a mildly cheap light,
and a backpack used for sorting things in your inventory.
===Tent of Medicines===
(Three rooms West and two rooms South from the fountain.)
Hassan is waiting here to sell a short list of quite handy items, including eyedrops to cure blindness, pep pills for restoring movement, recall scrolls for returning to your recall point, and weakened tonics for healing yourself.
===Tent of Wonders===
(Three rooms West, one room North, and one room West from the fountain.)
Akahana resides herein, with a copious inventory that ranges from the ever usesfull identify and passdoor scrolls, a good collection of low level wands, and a variety of other items. He also buys nearly anything that other vendors wouldn't even consider!
=Weapon/ Armor Shops Locations=
===Level 1===
====Weapons====
Starting off, you should have a weapon that fits the first proficiency you chose upon character creation. If another weapon is needed, to replace a lost one, or for another proficiency, level one weapons can be found at the Truce trainer, Magnus. All weapon types are sold at this shop.
====Armor====
Beginner armor (level 0) can be bought from the Truce vagabond, in a back alley. An alternate set can be purchased from Pandora; the equipment available from her has no defensive value but increases movement points.
===Level 5===
====Weapons====
Level five weapons can be found in Crysta, south of Truce. Weapon types not included in this shop are Long Slashing, Short Piercing, and Melee.
Other weapons can be found in the areas around Truce (Truce Canyon, Rabite Forest, Guardia Fields).
====Armor====
Crysta carries a few pieces of level 5 armor. Other pieces of armor can be found in the areas around Truce.
Viorar carries a full set of level 5 armor.
(A full suit of armor from Viorar will cost 220 silver.)
===Level 10===
====Weapons====
Level ten weapons can be purchased in Rocket Town, west of Truce.
Viorar has level ten weapons as well; all weapon types are sold there. You can also find level ten weapons in Fort Walla Walla, south of Viorar.
====Armor====
Level ten armor can be purchased in Truce and Viorar.
(A full suit of armor from either Truce or Viorar will cost you 360 silver.)
===Level 15===
====Weapons====
Level fifteen weapons can be purchased in Wutai, north-east of Truce. Weapon types not included are Projectile and Melee.
====Armor====
Level fifteen armor can be bought in Rocket Town, west of Truce.
(A full suit of armor from Rocket Town will cost you 720 silver.)
===Level 20===
====Weapons====
Level twenty weapons are purchased in Cosmo Canyon, north of Truce. All weapon types are sold at this shop.
====Armor====
Level twenty armor can be bought in Wutai.
(A full suit of light(caster) armor will cost 1530 silver. A full suit of heavy(non-caster) armor will cost 3060 silver.)
Category:Technical Information