Frequently Asked Questions: Advanced Topics

4.0 Okay, How Does The Pkilling System Work?

You can only be killed by another player on REDEMPTION if you have a "flag" that designates you as a voluntary member of the Pkill system. The only way to get a flag is to choose to pkill when you create your character. Then at level 10 you will automatically be lonered. Once you are a loner either remain on your own or you can join a Clan, in which case you will be "flagged" as a member. Any Clan members or loners can kill or steal from other players who also are flagged.

Any Clan member who steals from another Clan member will receive a (THIEF) flag. Any player who attacks another Clan member (intentionally or by accident) that is not a (THIEF) or (KILLER) will receive a (KILLER) flag. If you get a (THIEF) or (KILLER) flag, any Clan member can attack you without receiving a flag themselves. (THIEF) and (KILLER) flags last until you are attacked *and* killed by a Clan member (once for each flag). The entire time you have a (THIEF) or (KILLER) flag, you will automatically be attacked by all "police figures" in Terra, including Tetragon at recall, cityguards and guardians, etc. Dying at Tetragon, suicide, or having another member of your own Clan try to remove a (KILLER) or (THIEF) flag won't work. Is it worth it? You decide.

There are level limits to the Pkilling and Pstealing system as well. If the opposing player is more than 8 levels below you, you can't Pkill them. You may Psteal from other players if they are not more than 7 levels below your level, and in a Clan.

If you decided that being in a clan is NOT for you there is a "retire" option. This command is available to you before level 25. It drops you to the status of non-clanner... for a price. Should you wish to use it, the cost to you is half of your skills.  If you wish to retire after hitting level 25 you need to contact a high level IMM.  This is not a decision to be made lightly.  

That's the basics. For more info, type "help clan" and "help pkill".

4.1 What Are The Clans?

A Clan is a collection of players, united to follow and further a common cause. Each clan has rules and regulations, to find out more about clans and their 'beliefs' type "help {clan name}". The current Clans on REDEMPTION can be seen on the Clan Information Page located elsewhere on this site.

More details beyond the help files can be obtained by questioning members of various Clans.

4.2 What Are The Benefits Of Joining A Clan?

Joining a Clan is a dangerous step. Many adventurers live to kill and torture others, and chances are that if you join the Clan system, your paths will cross.

Existing Clans each have a Clan Hall (except Loners). Clan Halls may be entered easily only by Clan members, and are protected from invasion by the Clan's Goon(s). However, if another Clan succeeds in killing a Clan's Goon they will have access to the hall.

Clans do have special privileges not available to other players. They may buy special rooms and mobiles. Including a private store with lower prices than can be found in town; rooms with higher MANA and HP regeneration than standard rooms; "portals" to various locations; and private rooms.

Clans provide their members protection, assist each other with corpse retrievals, acquiring items and advice, etc. Each Clan also has a private channel to communicate with other Clan members.

Some Clans encourage active Pkilling and Pstealing, others do not. Some encourage magical abilities, some are primarily warriors. Thus, other benefits will vary by Clan and Clan goals.

4.3 What Are The Drawbacks To Joining A Clan?

You will likely, at one time or another, face death at the hands of another player. This also means that they may take your equipment and or money. Since you died, you will have only 1 HP--if you go back to get your corpse, you'll be at a great disadvantage if they are still there. Thus, they will likely have time to pick and choose what they want, too.

There are no rules against looting corpses. It is not generally considered honorable though, even for a mean character, to take everything. Money and gems are, of course, almost always taken, as are rare items. Taking everything and not returning what you don't need or can't give to a fellow Clan member, or in the worst case, sacrificing the entire corpse, are generally frowned upon. Remember--you could be the next to die . . . don't dish out what you can't take in return.

Along the same lines, IMMs will not listen to complaints about viscous or mean Pkillers and what they did to your equipment and money. If you opt into the system, any hardship you suffer was agreed to in advance. Learn to avoid trouble.

4.4 What's The Loner Clan?

Loners are those that find they have nothing in common with the existing clans. They may act as a group, or may be independent--whatever various Loners decide to do is up to them.

Being a Loner means you have no Clan Hall. This limits your available opportunities for sanctuary, as well as many benefits Clans can offer. Playing a Loner is a definite challenge.

4.5 How Do I Join A Clan?

To join a Clan, you must be level 10 or above *and* have chosen to pkill at creation. Speak to the Clan [Leader] or [Recruiter] about joining. If you can't find a Clan Leader for the Clan you wish to join, ask a member.

Most Clans will require you to complete a quest or some other form of initiation prior to admitting you. Once you have met such requirements to the satisfaction of the Clan Leader or Recruiter, they can "accept" you into the Clan.

You would have to type "join <clan>" to indicate that you *really* do want to join.

4.6 Once I Join, Can I Switch Clans?

It is possible to switch clans as often as you like as long as another one will take you. If you discover that you can't live up to your Clans ideals you might want to consider making a change. However, be careful not to get a "bad" reputation in your clan and get kicked out. Often other Clan leaders will see that as a sign that you aren't trust worthy.

4.7 How Do I Form A New Clan?

New Clans may be formed by petitioning the IMPs. Your idea will be more seriously considered if you have participated in the Clan system and understand it well--and you will be expected to provide your background materials and room descriptions for Clan Hall, to assume leadership responsibilities for your Clan, etc. Please remember that IMPs' word is final on all matters (Clan and otherwise) not covered by the help files or this FAQ.

4.8 Are The Other Special Limits On Pkilling?

Yes. Whenever you create a system to make things work a certain way, someone will inevitably find a way around the rules. A few other refinements on the basic Pkilling rules:

a. Repeated arranged killings for XP is illegal. Anyone caught engaging in repeated arranged killings simply to help the killer get fast XP will, at least, lose the gained XP and/or levels, and will also face possible deletion.

b. There is also code that helps limit multiple player killing, so that you can't spam kill someone over and over. However, it is recommend that you don't "push" the issue by rekilling someone as soon as the code allows you to. Usually killing someone once or twice a game day is sufficient to get what you need.

4.9 What Are The Rules On Clan Mutiny?

In order for a clan mutiny to occur, one must contact a level 58+ for a legal mutiny to happen. If not, the mutiny will be consider illegal and non-official. The end result will be the aggressor is deleted. The mutiny will follow these guidelines:

1. The current leader has to accept. If not, then the leadership is then given to the challenger, and the leader is then removed from the clan.  If there is more than one leader, then one member of the leadership team must decide to face the challenge. 

2. The mutiny will occur at the earliest possible date that can be arranged among the leader, the challenger, and a level 58+ IMM. (For example, a fight will not be postponed to permit a character time to gain levels.) 

3. Once a mutiny has been declared all recruiting must be halted. The challenger can not be removed from clan or killed and looted or stolen from by his/her clan mates. Any clan mates who engage in such behavior will be lonered.

4. If the challenger is a recruiter they will be allowed to retain their position and level. If the challenger kills or attacks a clan member he or she will be lonered and the mutiny will be called off (this does not include participating in duels with clanmates who agreed to the duel or killing a clanmate in an IMM run tourney). A challenger is expected to continue to abide by the rules of the clan at the time of the mutiny. If they break clan rules will be put in 1212 until the mutiny is held.

5. If the current leader does accept the two will duel. If the challenger loses s/he will be deleted. If the the challenger wins then the leader or leadership team will be lonered and the challenger will become leader. 

6. The leader may appoint someone from the clan to fight for her/him, if the appointee agrees. If the challenger loses s/he must delete, if the appointee loses the leader must leave the clan and the challenger becomes leader. An appointee must have been a member of the clan at the time when the mutiny was declared. 

7. A duel is a one-on-one fight, involving no wands, staffs, scrolls, potions, throwing objects, or pills (besides for spelling up before the fight). The only charmies allowed are troll arms/legs since the player can not control the making of those. The fight will be held in a safe room and the loser will get his/her corpse back. No looting will be allowed. 

8. No outside interference will be allowed during the mutiny (ie no one from outside the 2 person fight can cast voodoo on one of the fighting players, etc.). In addition, no one can be grouped with a player in a mutiny fight. Anyone players engaged in such activity will be frozen or punished in a similarly harsh manner.

9. Both the challenger and the leader will be cancelled prior to the fight after this all spells have been removed, they will be restored and allowed to spell up with whatever means they have available, such as potions and wands. They will NOT be allowed to worship before a fight. Anyone in a mutiny fight caught with a worship spell on them will be automatically disqualified. Once they have spelled up, the players will be restored and the fight will commence. 

9. The fight must start within 10 seconds of the imm saying go. If you are the cause of the delay, you will be found in default, and judged the loser, lag is the only exception to this. No room affects may be in effect at the start of the fight. The fight may be stopped through the use of various of skills, however, it must be underway again in due time, which is no greater than 2 ticks. The imm will provide warnings before the person who stopped the fight is declared the loser. 

10. Anything not explicitly disallowed is allowed, any 'questionable' things which have been forgotten here should be taken up with the immortal running the mutiny. 

11. Once a successful mutiny occurs, the new leader will have 24 hours to make changes in clan membership. During this period another mutiny can not be called. 

4.10 Are Clan Members Allowed To Tank For Each Other?

There is no rule against Clan members, or any player for that matter, "tanking" for other players. Essentially, this is a higher-level character weakening large mobs, and then fleeing just before they die, allowing a lower level player to complete the kill and receive all of the experience--much more than they should be receiving.

Basically, we feel that this does nothing for the game experience. Rushing through levels proves nothing, and your character becomes unbalanced because your skills haven't advanced with your playing time. However, there are times when you find your character is having a difficult time getting past a level, a difficult time getting an item, etc. In such cases, a few instances of tanking are understandable.

4.11 I Like It Here And Want To Help? How Do I Become An IMM?

The selection process for IMMs is handled entirely by the IMPS. If you want to IMM, you must talk to them. Any character that reaches Level 51 may become an IMM with their approval. Don't bother contacting them until you've reached Level 51 and been there a bit.

Be aware that being an IMM requires work, and you are expected to participate in one form or another.  All IMMs start at level 54 and are expected to build at least one original area before they are advanced to a higher level.  IMMs who do not work, do not log in, or do not volunteer to help do administrative duties for Redemption will be set back to level 51, will be retired, or will be deleted.

4.12 Can I Write An Area?

Most of the area building done on REDEMPTION is performed by our Level 54 Immortals. These Immortals are the builders of the MUD and are using OLC (On-Line Creation) to create their areas. You might never see a level 54 IMM since they are usually WIZI and working when they are on-line.

However, the IMPs on REDEMPTION actively encourage everyone interested to submit formatted areas. They recommend using the MZF Area Editor (See the "Other Links" page located elsewhere on this site) during the creation process and referring to a ROM 2.4 building document like the one written by Satin (Gabrielle Taylor).

Once you have a completed area email it to Delstar (delstar@redemptionmud.com) and it will be checked over and placed on REDEMPTION.