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AG Player's Guide

Guild Life

(last revised 11/07/06)

There's more to life than fighting, it's just a matter of finding out what else there is to do. The AG world is a living and constantly developing entity because you, and other players, bring it to life through the characters you play. This section has information which can help you make your character not just a better fighter, but a more interactive member of the AG world.

Adventurer Groups

Within the Adventurers Guild are many loosely organized groups of adventurers. Most groups have some unifying philosophy or purpose. A now-defunct but legendary group was Plague of Death, which made quite an impact on the world hiring themselves out as mercenaries. The Antar Men's Adventuring Club was another group which had its day. After the group returned from a particularly rewarding adventure there was a vicious melee over the treasure division though, and all the members perished.

All groups have three or more members, one of which is the group leader. It is the group leader who has the say as to who is in or out of the group. An adventurer may only be a member of one group at one time, and a group can only have one leader.

Most groups are formed and run by adventurers such as yourself. The only aspect of groups which the guild hall will deal with is the keeping of a wins/losses/kills record for each group. These statistics will be tallied for all the members of any group, and will be listed in the newsletter each turn. Joining or forming a group may increase your enjoyment within the Adventurers Guild, but in no way are you required to do so. Below you will find the guidelines for groups:

Forming Groups

One person (the leader) forms a group. However, that group will be dormant (won't show up on group rankings) until there are at least three active members. If you don't have three or more active members within six turns after forming the group, the group will disband. Also, if after having three or more active members, the group falls below three active members, it will also disband.

The cost for forming a group is 500gc, and you must be 250+ power level to form a group. The group name may not be more than 24 characters long.

With the turn you form the group you will learn the group ID#. Then other characters can use the "Request Membership" Extra Action, and you can use the "Accept Member" Extra Action.

In Deathsgate, you can form a gladiator school instead of a group. In many respects gladiator schools operate just like groups. The cost is still 500gc. But slaves CANNOT form groups or schools.

All group membership functions will be handled as Extra Actions.

To form a group, use the Extra Action:
"Form Group [group name]"

To form a gladiator school in Deathsgate, use the Extra Action:
"Form Group [group name] /DGS"

To request membership into a group, use the Extra Action:
"Request Membership [group#]"

Please be sure to use the group number, not just the name. Once you request membership into a group, that group's leader will receive a message on his or her results informing them of the request. The adventurer rankings in the newsletter will also indicate that you have requested membership.

If the group leader wishes to accept a prospective member into a group, he or she must use the Extra Action:
"Accept Member [ID# of character to accept]"

A group leader may drop a member from the group by using the Extra Action:
"Drop Member [ID# of character to drop]"

A non-slave character may leave a group by using the Extra Action:
"Leave Group"

Slaves are not able to leave a group (or school).

Responsibilities/Powers of a Group Leader

The group leader will be responsible for fielding requests for membership, and is the only one with the power to drop a member. The group leader is also the only one who can drop or undertake group quests.

Switching Leaders
If at any time a group needs to change leaders, a note or call from both the existing leader and the new leader is the ideal way to handle the transfer. With the nature of turn-based games though, it is possible that the existing leader is no longer willing or able to send in a note. Such instances will most likely be taken care of through notices on the message board along with the involvement of the game moderator.

Group Quests
See Quests, below for information on group quests.

Quests

A Farmer's Daughter is captured by bandits. A wealthy merchant dislikes a certain guild member and wants to see him defeated in a challenge fight. A sorcerer needs a specific item to complete some secret project. These are just three of the many AG quest situations.

Quests in AG are for the most part optional, but are a great way for your character to be more involved in the world and gain some extra rewards.

Undertaken quests are more general in scope, more like a long-term goal or an intense desire to live a certain way. If a character grew up hating all goblins, he could undertake the quest Hate Race: goblin, and receive bonuses when fighting goblins. Undertaken quests usually have some cost (typically destiny points) associated with them.

Ask For Quest

You may also request a religious quest using Ask for Quest / R. Be forewarned, dropping a religious quest can negatively affect your devoutness rating.
Ask for Quest / L will give you a local (i.e. same guild) religious quest. The rewards are likely to be less than regular religious quests, but it is guaranteed that you will not have to travel to another guild city to complete the quest.

Both AFQ / R and AFQ / L give your character a religious quest. It is redundant to request a local quest with something like AFQ / L / R
It is not possible to ask for a non-religious local quest.

Additionally:
If you'd like an adventuring quest, use AFQ / A
If you'd like an item quest, use AFQ / I
If you'd like a defeat monster quest, use AFQ / M
If you'd like a defeat character quest, use AFQ / C
Each of these quest options may also be requested as local religious OR religious quests. Below are two examples:
AFQ / A / L
AFQ / I /R

Finish Quest [x]

When you are ready to complete a quest this Extra Action should be used. The format is "Finish Quest (x)," where (x) is the number of the quest slot you wish to try to finish. If the conditions of the quest are met, the reward(s) will be yours, and the slot will then be empty.
Quests to defeat a certain monster or character or to explore a certain encounter area will be finished automatically when you perform the required task.

Drop Quest [x]


If you want to get rid of a quest, use "Drop Quest (x)," where (x) is the number of the quest slot you wish to try to drop. Most, but not all, quests can be dropped easily and with no harmful effects. Dropping religious quests can adversely affect your devotion level to your current deity.

Undertake Quest [quest] [y]

The format for this is: "Undertake Quest (quest), (y)," where (quest) is the word or phrase or quest ID# describing the quest, and (y) is sometimes used to give additional information needed for that particular quest. Here are some quests that may be undertaken:

Bounty Hunter -- cost of 10 destiny points. Those adventuring with this quest will automatically receive gold into their treasury upon defeating the monster being currently sought by the the guild the adventurer is operating out of. For example, if the city of Antar was currently offering a bounty for the death or capture of a Bandit Chief (#1025), then an adventurer with the Bounty Hunter quest would receive roughly 100 gc when his or her adventuring party won a combat in which a Bandit Chief was defeated. The size of the gold reward is dependent on the power level of the monster. The monster being sought will change every month, and the newsletters will post the monster sought for the current and next month so that planning ahead is possible (is in the newsletter "City Report"). If there is more than one Bounty Hunter in a party the reward will be divided evenly amongst them.

Grab Treasure: [x] -- cost of 15 destiny points.
The Grab Treasure quest allows a character to be outright greedy when it comes to taking/getting treasure on adventures. Those with the general grab treasure quest have a greater chance at gaining loot when the treasure (if any) is being looked over after the monsters (if any) have been defeated.
The (x) is for an optional specific item ID#. By using that setting, a character has an even greater chance of acquiring that specific item if it is found, but otherwise treasure distribution is as normal.

Hate Race: [race] -- cost of 40 destiny points.
This quest lets a character devote energies towards defeating a certain race. Combat bonuses will occur when facing members of the hated race. Races are listed in the Getting Started section of this guide.

Besides the character races the following specific monster races can be hated:

Hate Being: [being ID#] -- cost of 40 destiny points.
This quest lets a character focus on defeating a certain being. Combat bonuses will occur when facing the hated being.

Hate Religion: [ deity ID# ] -- cost of 40 destiny points. For those who hate a certain religion it's possible to receive bonuses in combat when fighting against a person known to be of the hated religion.

Hate Group: [group #] -- cost of 40 destiny points.
This quest lets a character devote energies towards defeating a certain group. Combat bonuses will occur when facing members of the hated group.

Important note about Hate quests: When fighting a hated race or being, you will be more aggressive, doing more damage with an increased chance to hit. However, if adventuring or fighting with a person on your side who you hate for some reason (race, religion, whatever) you may be penalized in adventure score and other ways!

Hide Religion -- cost of 20 destiny points.
A person with this quest will be able to avoid being hated due to religion, and will not have his or her deity choice be public knowledge. Except for Mordtch and H'sshtiak most deities frown upon their followers hiding their religion, and thus expect more from secretive worshippers.

Love Being: [being ID#] -- cost of 10 destiny points. When you love a specific being, you will share potions of healing in your possession with that character, and will choose to pull him or her out of combat instead of another.

Recover Item: [item ID#] -- cost of five destiny points. Occasionally, adventurers may wish to seek a specific special item, artifact, or maybe even creature. These items are hidden, and will not be found unless being specifically looked for. This quest is designed to be used only in certain situations that your character can learn about through the game.

Group Quests

In addition to individual quests, characters in a group get up to three additional quests from their group. The only character that can undertake or drop group quests is the group leader. Rewards for group quests go to each member of the group present when the quest is fulfilled (distributed equally). Note: only undertaken quests are available as group quests.
The procedures for handling group quests are the same as individual quests except that the group leader should indicate that it is a group quest -- i.e. "Undertake Group Quest," and "Drop Group Quest."
The other difference between individual and group quests is the cost - individual quests cost destiny points; group quests cost gold. The amount of gold is 100gc times the destiny point cost of the quest. The Hate Religion quest, for example, would cost 4,000gc for a group to undertake. The gold is taken from the groups leader when the quest is undertaken.

What to do with all that Gold and Treasure

There's gold in them thar' guilds! The only question is what to do with it. Below are some options. See Extra & Special Actions, below, for other possibilities.

Within the Guild Hall is a magically protected room, which all adventurers are able to use to hold gold and items. Your possessions are absolutely safe in the treasury (and in the guild for that matter), and items will be taken out as needed to be sold or transferred. All gold will be withdrawn at the beginning of the turn, and deposited again before any fights. Just outside the Guild Hall is the Merchants' Square, where you can buy any of the items listed in the items table (located in the Reference section of this guide). You may also sell any item you have to the merchants. Items may also be given to other adventurers. An adventurer can possess no more than sixty items at one time. The exception to this is items in Quartermaster Storage (see below).

Buying Items

To purchase any of the items listed, make sure you have enough gold on your person, then visit the Merchants' Square. Fill in the appropriate line on the Adventurer's Improvement Form, and the item will be yours. When buying armor & helm, be sure you are buying the correct size.

Detect Magic Service

If you've got a Guild Locker full of treasure items and are itching to know if one or more possess any magical or unusual properties then there's a wizard in town ready to help. For a mere 500 gold crowns you can hire the wizard to check each and every item currently in your possession (both on person and in Guild Locker, but not in Quartermaster Storage). After some very exhausting magical rituals you will be told of any items that have some special property. This service can be purchased regardless of whether you go adventuring that turn or not. To take advantage of this kind wizard's offer, write "Detect Magic" on the Buy Item line of the Adventurer Improvement Form. It's just like buying an item, and will happen after all item transfers have been processed.

Donating Gold Crowns to Temples

You are free to visit any one of the temples within the city in the morning before the battles begin. By donating gold to a temple, it is possible to affect your alignment and devoutness rating. Your donation also has a chance of strengthening the power of the temple, as measured by the percentage of the guild city which follows that deity. You must be devoted to a deity to make a donation to that deity. You may make a donation to a generic good, neutral, or evil temple. Note that making a donation occurs before any Special Actions take place -- you cannot donate to a deity the same turn you devote to that deity.

Quartermaster Storage

In addition to the sixty available possession slots each character has, the Guild Quartermaster will store up to 100 additional items. However, these items can only be stored and retrieved using Extra Actions. This storage area is separate from the 35 Guild Locker the 25 on-person possession slots already available to all characters. If you're not having problems because you've got too much stuff, there's little (or no) reason to use the Quartermaster service.
To store items with the Quartermaster, use the Extra Action "Move to Storage." You may put into storage a maximum of five items per Extra Action. Here's an example:
Move to Storage: 185/200/178/202/334
You may use Move to Storage for as many Extra Actions as you wish -- in other words, you could store 30 items in a turn, using all six of your Extra Actions to do so.
To take items out of storage, use the Extra Action "Remove from Storage." The format and limitations are the same as Move to Storage.
You will automatically receive a list of stored items in your results each turn.
Moving items in and out of storage will generally be processed just prior to items being bought, sold and transferred, so you probably won't be able to store something the same turn you receive it from someone else. You also must remove a item from storage before you can do anything with it (i.e. transfer it to another character, sell it, take it with you on an adventure...)

Resurrection Fund

All temples offer resurrection service to those wealthy enough to pay. This of course must be pre­arranged. On your Adventurer Improvement Form you'll find an area for paying into a resurrection fund. You may put gold into this fund at any time, in any amount. Only if you have paid 100 or more can the priests attempt to resurrect you though. At low power levels, the actual chances of your being resurrected from death are not real good if you've barely met the 100 gold crown minimum (about 50%), but it's certainly better than nothing. Any amount over 100 will make the resurrection more likely to succeed. A resurrection can only be attempted if you are killed in a guild city, or your body is teleported in from an adventure through the use a Medallion of Returning.

Selling Items

The merchants are always willing to buy items from you, though they usually will pay only two-thirds the normal sale price. If you have the Bargaining skill, you may get more than that when selling items.

Transferring Items / Gold

By using the Adventurer Improvement Form you are able to give gold or items to other guild members. Such transfers take place immediately at the beginning of the turn, which means for gold you lose the gold right away and the recipient receives it right away (and can then spend it or do whatever immediately). Normally the transfer is done person­to­person, but if the recipient is at a different guild any gold transfers to them will automatically go into their treasury. Please note that items cannot be transferred between guilds.

Extra Actions & Special Actions

The following lists are the Extra and Special Actions commonly known to be available in Adventurers Guild. Descriptions for each not covered elsewhere in the Player's Guide are on the following pages. On the Improvement Form towards the center is the area for Extra Actions; at the very bottom is the area for Special Actions. There is an important difference between Extra Actions and Special Actions... Extra Actions can generally be attempted by a character regardless of location or plans for the turn, but Special Actions will only be attempted by characters that stay in the guild that turn (i.e. those that do not go adventuring). A character can plan an adventure but still have Special Actions on his/her Improvement Form that will be attempted should the adventure not happen. See also the Extra Action and Special Action Summary Sheet in this guide.

Extra Actions
Adventuring Equipment Checklists... (ADV)
Add to Checklist
Clear Checklist
Remove from Checklist
Bet (LIF)
Build Shrine (LIF)
Commission Magic Weapon (MAG)
Commission Magic Storage Device (MAG)
Cure Disease (LIF)
Destroy Item (LIF)
Destroy Shrine (LIF)
Drop Skill (LIF)
Drop Weapon Skill (LIF)
Guard (LIF)
Group Options... (LIF)
Accept Member
Drop Group Quest
Drop Member
Form Group
Leave Group
Request Membership
Undertake Group Quest
Hex Information / Control... (ADV)
Fund Militia
Mark Hex
Name Hex
Scout Hex
Monster Battles (LIF)
No Battles (LIF)
Produce Missiles (LIF)
Quartermaster Storage... (LIF)
Move to Storage
Remove from Storage
Quests... (LIF)
Ask for Quest
Drop Group Quest
Drop Quest
Finish Quest
Undertake Group Quest
Undertake Quest
Read Book (LIF)
Set Adventure Tithe (LIF)
Set Treasure Check (LIF)
Transfer Magic Points (MAG)

Special Actions
Apply for Exemplar (DEI)
Break Devotions (DEI)
Buy Freedom (Deathsgate only) (DTH)
Buy Teleport (ADV)
Case Temple (LIF)
Create Magic Item (MAG)
Devote to Deity (DEI)
Enchant Weapon (MAG)
Exercise (LIF)
Gain/Lose Weight (LIF)
Learn/Teach Skill (LIF)
List Known Research Projects (MAG)
List Places to Visit (LIF)
Maintain Library (LIF)
Meditate (LIF)
Research Project (MAG)
Rest (LIF)
Scout (LIF)
Study Item (LIF)
Visit Magic Shop (MAG)

Extra Action: Bet

You may only bet on challenge fights that were posted the previous turn, or ones you know are going to happen, and you may not bet on a challenge fight that you are in. The maximum you can win is 50gc. The format for a bet is:
Bet Winner ID#/Loser ID#/amount of bet

Extra Action: Build Shrine

You can build a shrine to your current deity, for a cost of 500 GC. This might raise your Devoutness Rating, and has a chance of making your deity more popular in the city.

Extra Action: Cure Disease

When a character has a disease, that character or others may use the Cure Disease Extra Action to help cure him or her. To cast this spell, you must be at least level four (4) in Cure Party. The format for this action is:
Cure Disease target ID#/MPs spent

Extra Action: Destroy Item [item ID#]

Certain items may contain special properties that produce an effect when the item is destroyed. Another option is to sacrifice an item to your deity. To do so, write a /D after the item ID#.

Extra Action: Destroy Shrine [deity ID#]

With this action you can search around for shrines built to a certain deity, and if you discover one you will destroy and desecrate it. Such a deed will weaken the strength of the deity. It also might incur the wrath of the deity! Be warned, there is a chance such actions will be noticed, and punished.

Extra Actions: Drop Skill [skill ID#] & Drop Weapon Skill [skill ID#]

Using either of these Extra Actions, you may completely forget any training you've had in a certain skill or weapon skill. Dropping a skill is likely to reduce your power level.

Extra Action: Guard [adv. ID#]

This Extra Action can be used to guard yourself or someone else, and will reduce the chance of success for most nasty deeds aimed at the guarded individual. How much good the guarding does depends on proximity, skills, and power level of the guard. You can use only one guard action per turn. Those guarding have less time and effort to put into their studies (this means less knowledge points).

Extra Action: No Battles

By writing in 'no battles' as an Extra Action, you will receive an additional five Special Actions. These Special Actions take the place of battle fights or adventuring. You still may be in a challenge fight if you wish (or work, perform devotions, etc). Send in your additional Special Actions in a GM Note email, with the Character ID# included. There is no restriction on the number of times you may use the same Special Action, but in the case of Meditate in particular, the effects will be reduced significantly after the first two.

Extra Action: Produce Missiles

With this Extra Action, anyone trained in bow use, crossbow use, or sling use can produce arrows, bolts, or sling bullets, respectively. You must be at least trained in the appropriate skill. The number of missiles you produce will be: (skill level + 1) x (terrain modifier of current hex)
The terrain modifier is usually one, but terrains like desert are modifier zero. Woods and forests can produce more arrows or bolts, and hills can produce more sling bullets. You may use more than one of your six Extra Actions producing missiles. The format for this action is:
Produce Missiles [missile type]
Missile types may be abbreviated A, B, or S.

Extra Action: Read Book [book #]

You'll notice the "Num of Books in Library..." on the city report. When you read a book, you'll receive the text of the book in your results. Book #1 is a list of books. You may not read books while adventuring in the wilderness. We welcome player submitted material, so if you'd like to submit a book to the library, contact the GM.

Extra Action: Set Adventure Tithe

The Adventure Tithe is a percentage from 0 to 100 that you can set. That percentage of any gold you find adventuring will automatically be given to the guild community service fund. The higher your percentage, the better your chance to seem honorable (to a point), and thus possibly increase your honor rating. The format is:
Set Adventure Tithe to (x)

Extra Action: Set Treasure Check

The Treasure Check setting is either on or off, and if on means you will have all your just-gained treasure items checked over upon returning from an adventure. If any of those items have been reported stolen you will of course relinquish them immediately, perhaps receiving some reward. Just by adventuring while having this setting on gives most people a good chance of gaining or maintaining honor. The format is:
Set Treasure Check [on OR off]

Special Action: Case Temple

By casing a temple a character will gain information including the amount of gold the temple has (your best estimate) and how well guarded it usually is. The format is: Case Temple (deity name)

Special Action: Exercise

The yin of meditate's yang... exercising will get you some EPs.

Special Action: Gain / Lose Weight

It is possible to increase your weight level (if you are not already heavy) or decrease your weight level (if you are not already light). To do so you'll have to pay a 500 gold crown fee to the weight modification consultant who will help you in your regimen. If you wish to change your weight, be sure that you have the necessary gold, and write "Gain Weight" or "Lose Weight" as desired.

Special Action: Learn/Teach Skill

This action will only be used for certain skills which the Guild Masters are not willing or able to teach. At this time the only skills that can be taught with this special action are: CM-Snare, Bless Party, Summon, and Enchant Item. With Bless Party, the teacher and student must worship the same deity. Also, you must be level one or higher in a skill to teach it to another. The formats are:
Learn Skill/Skill & ID/Character ID# to learn from
Teach Skill/Skill & ID/Character ID# to teach to

Special Action: List Places to Visit

You can write "List Places to Visit" on the Improvement Form under Special Actions to receive an up-to-date list of all the publicly known places currently available, IF you stay in the guild.

Special Action: Maintain Library

By helping out at the library you have a chance of raising the library quality level by one. That chance is 100 minus current library quality level.

Special Action: Meditate

This special action can be used to perhaps gain additional knowledge points, and sometimes even greater insights. A character can meditate more than once in the same turn.

Special Action: Rest

A diseased character may seek cure by staying in the guild and resting.

Special Action: Scout

To try to scout someone simply write the word "Scout" along with the ID number of that character. If the scout attempt is successful you'll get an in­depth description of the adventurer, including characteristic scores and weapon skills. Current battle orders will be analyzed also, telling you what weapons, armor and strategy were used.

Special Action: Study Item

By using this Special Action, you will spend some time intensively studying an item, and possibly learn something about it or from it (in the case of scrolls, for example). The format for this Special Action is:
Study Item / [item ID#]
If you'd like one of the guild wizards to study a particular item for you, use this Special Action in the following format:
Study Item / [item ID#] / [gold amount]
For example, if you just found a magic dagger (#9999) out adventuring and want the a guild wizard to try to find the level of enchantment, you could write:
Study Item / #9999 / 1000gc
The amount of gold you spend is up to you. However, that amount will affect how good a wizard you get. Note also that if you pay a wizard to study a scroll, he (or she) will tell you that it must be read to find out its powers (if any), but will keep your gold.

Challenge Fights

Now wouldn't you like to go one-on-one with a certain adventurer? Prove that he or she just got lucky last time? You can use a Challenge Form to place a challenge against another adventurer. This will allow you to use a strategy perfectly designed to beat that particular person. After your Challenge Form is received the challenge will be made public through the newsletter. The challenged adventurer will learn of your challenge, and will perhaps send back a Challenge Acceptance Form (which is the same form as the Challenge Form, but filled in a little differently). All guild members are able to fight in one (and only one) challenge fight per turn, which will only take place if the character was active in the guild that same turn.

Because challenge fights have to be agreed to in this fashion, most challenges against other player characters must be made for two or more turns ahead. So if turn number one had just ended, and you wanted to prove your superiority over Necromancer, ID# 117, you would send in a Challenge Form for turn number three along with your battle orders for turn number two. Necromancer would hear of this challenge with the turn number two newsletter, and if he desired he would send a Challenge Acceptance Form with his turn number three battle orders. Is a challenge fight on turn three worth all that? Well there can be more experience points in it for you, as well as another combat for your adventurer at no extra charge. Of course, you could fight on turn two if Necromancer somehow knew to accept that turn.

Challenge fights occur after the battles have been staged, and for one very good reason. Though your adventurer cannot die while participating in the battle tournaments, challenge fights can be deadly. Yielding has a use after all (hint, hint). You can play it dangerous if you like and never yield (yield at 0%). Most of the time the blow that ends the fight does not kill the adventurer. But every so often (more often for those with low staminas) that last blow ends their life as well as the fight. At that point only having a resurrection fund in place will prevent the adventurer's final death, and even those do not work all the time. A reminder: if you fight in the guild challenge pool you will be matched somewhat randomly with another pool fighter.

Non-player characters (Adventurer ID#s less than 100 and between 200 and 299) may be challenged as well. There's no need to wait for their acceptance though, they'll refuse or accept right away. For example, you could send in a Challenge Form vs. Tolstoy, ID# 64 for turn number two along with your battle orders for turn number two. Non-player characters will rarely turn down a challenge unless they have already accepted another, or they are significantly weaker than the challenger.

You may also challenge the NPC battle fillers (ID# 1270- 1299). These NPCs will also usually accept challenges. The senior members of the guild also welcome your challenges, as many of the instructors consider your besting them the greatest indicator of their teaching ability.

Once you've taken part in a few one-on-one challenge fights, you may want to consider talking a fellow adventurer into making a team combat challenge with you. The two of you could challenge a single opponent, or as many as you'd like. See Team Combat for more details.

It is also possible to set up an alternate challenge in the event that one you've planned doesn't work out. To do so, send a GM note the turn on the challenge, detailing what you'd like the character to do in that event.

Challenge Fight Options

The guild is much like a family. Serious hostility between guild members is not tolerated, and will usually result in the expulsion of the instigator(s). In combat almost anything goes, but after a fellow member yields or is defeated no further blows should be struck. Grotto matches or death matches are obvious exceptions to this, but note all participants willingly accepted the finality of such a fight. In temple raids the victors will loot from their fallen foe(s) what they have a chance to, but the chance of death is no more than in a regular guild challenge fight or field challenge fight. Although Challenge Pool fights occur in the guild, there are several types of challenge fights which do not. Below are descriptions of other challenge fight possibilities, some of which can be used in conjunction with others (field challenge as a death match, for example).

Death Match

If you wish to fight to the death during challenge fights, the guild leaders will allow you to risk your life needlessly. Only if ALL participants in the fight have a kill desire of 10 will the match be to the death. Unless you are just anxious to test your resurrection fund please use this option carefully.

Field Challenge

An enterprising farmer outside each of the guild cities allows guild members to fight challenges where they can use items and spells not normally allowed in the guild. Any commonly known adventuring spells and skills may be used, as well as any equipment, provided you possess it. To use this option, check the Field Challenge box at the top of the Challenge Form, and list any additional equipment in the space provided in the middle of the form.

Free for All Challenge

The FFA is possible for in-guild and field challenges (grotto too). Yep that's right, you can now be in an arena with up to 19 opponents, none of whom are on your side and all of whom are against each other (and you). Last combatant standing (unless fight is called) wins. Fights start with all participants in a circle, roughly just at extended range. For a free for all challenge to happen, ALL participants MUST write in "Free for all" for opponents, and list all opponents under "Additional Opponents."

Grotto Challenge

On the outskirts of Antar, buried within the seaside cliffs is a cavern known to all as "The Grotto". It is here that a fire giant named Jack Nasty operates his tavern and combat pit (A similar place exists in Barstow, run by a gentleman known as Slippery Jake. In Ciston the grotto is operated by Samedi, and Deathsgate's grotto is operated by BlackSkull). Beings from all races and walks of life visit The Grotto, where the main entertainment is combat matches to the death. On occasion wild animals or even monsters are pitted against warriors, but the usual fights involve humans along with some of the non-human races found in the world.

All are welcome at the grotto, though the proprietors are much happier if you show your gratitude for their hospitality by wetting your throat, filling your stomach, and gambling your gold. Should you ever wish to participate in the combats, they will match you with an opponent close to your abilities, but only after they're certain you agree to the rules and sign a release form. Below you'll find the rules:

Any infraction of these rules will be handled by the immediate use of deadly magic.

Though most of the instructors at the Adventurers Guild do not warn against fighting at the grotto, they do not encourage it either. Sure you'll get lots of gold and experience if you win, but killing for entertainment is only agreeable to a few. Besides, there's no possibility of resurrection, so why take the risk?
If you wish to fight at the grotto, fill in a Grotto Challenge Form, which is the same as the Challenge Form but with a checkmark for "Grotto". Be sure that you agree to the rules, as you will be forced to comply with them. It is possible to challenge a specific opponent in the grotto. Also remember that fighting at the grotto takes the place of any challenge fights you might have been involved in for the turn. Lastly, you cannot fight at the grotto if you did not participate in a battle on the same turn.

Patrol Cemetery Challenge Option

Much like a Patrol City (below), except you will patrol the cemetery where you're more likely to meet undead. To choose this option, check the "Patrol" box on the Challenge Form, and write in "Patrol Cemetery" for opponents.

Patrol City Challenge

Characters may choose, instead of a guild challenge, to assist in making their city safer by patrolling the streets until they encounter a monster of some kind. To choose this option, check the "Patrol" box on the top of the Challenge Form, and write "Patrol City" for opponents. You may bring additional equipment and use adventuring spells and skills just as in the Field Challenge. Make sure you possess the equipment you plan to take, or you may end up going without it.

Raid Temple or Guard Temple Challenge

As an alternative to participating in a challenge fight or one of the other options (practice, work, etc.) you may either raid or guard a temple.

Guard Temple: Guarding the temple of your deity is sure to affect your devoutness rating. You may guard the temple of a deity you are not devoted to, if you wish. Temple raids do not happen very often, so guarding the temple may simply provide a nice rest from your guild activities. But then again, half a score of gold-hungry raiders might attack while you're guarding. If the attackers in a temple raid are captured, their possessions will become property of the temple being raided. The guards do not acquire any of the spoils. To guard a temple properly, you must do two things. First mark the check box on your Improvement Form down by Challenge Fight Option (labeled "guard") to indicate that you'll be guarding a temple. Secondly fill out a Challenge Form, including the word "guard" and filling in the deity name. Remember that you must own whatever weapons, armor, etc. that you wish to use while guarding the temple. Also keep in mind that special items (magic weapons, etc.) may attract the attention of a temple raider who is quickly looting your body, should you have the misfortune of being defeated.

Raid Temple: Raiding a temple can be very risky, but if successful could yield immense rewards. A successful raid allows the attackers a short time in which to grab whatever they can find in the way of gold and valuables. Taking gold from a temple has a definite chance of affecting its ability to gain more of a following. A raider can also sometimes run off with a religious artifact that was in the temple's safekeeping. Should a raider be captured though, that misfortune can be humiliating and expensive; all the possessions they carry will be taken by the temple priests. To raid a temple, fill out the Challenge Form, including the word "raid" and writing in a deity name. You may raid with other characters (just like other team challenge fights), or try to raid alone. Be warned, most temples employ skilled guards, and the power level of these guards is largely determined by what gold or valuable item(s) the temple has, NOT by some "fair" ratio to the raiders' power level. It is possible (and advisable) to use the Special Action Case Temple before raiding a particular temple.

To attempt to sneak past the guards, include the phrase "sneak raid" in a when-said code 2 message of your challenge combat messages, and remember to check the "Use Messages" box. If all the raiders successfully sneak past the guards you'll be able to loot the temple without any combat.

Challenge Messages

For challenge fights, characters may choose to use their Challenge Messages as stored in the web database.

See Combat Messages, below, for more information about combat message options.

Combat Messages

Each character has five Battle Message slots available, along with five message slots for Challenge, Adventure, and Dream combats. Messages can be used for things like making taunting remarks to your opponents, or for giving a brief description of your character. They may also be used to fine-tune your strategy.

The Combat Message Summary is a complete listing of message code options. Keep in mind also that some of the message code options can be used in conjunction with one another.
The GMs reserve the right to edit any and all messages for content. Additionally, messages may not be longer than 50 characters (including spaces). If we have to trim them for you, you may not be happy with the results.

Dream Challenges

Faren had grown tired of Zif's whinings and insults many weeks past. Now Faren was furious. Zif continued to harrass and ridicule Faren and his group of friends.
Regardless of what he tried to set his mind to, Faren's thoughts always came back to imagining Zif sprawled on the ground before him, begging for mercy.
"Cease your mewling, worm!" shouts Faren as he ends the Deathmatch of his dreams with a final blow from his great axe.
"A pity 'tis only possible in my dreams," mutters Faren as he tries to concentrate on the preparations for his adventuring groups upcoming journey to Fostil's Cavern. His friend Nurelm was in need of a Fostil's Pack, and for Faren helping friends took priority over crushing enemies.
(The room darkens a bit suddenly, and the air seems heavy... a bright bluish flash blinds Faren for a moment. Faren curses while drawing his shortsword.)
"Hold there, warrior. Through the power of my liege, the Dreamlord, you can battle your foe in a challenge fight, and still go about your other tasks." says a heavily armored figure towering at least two feet over the roughly six feet tall Faren. Blinking madly, Faren can see enough to realize the imposing knight means him no harm. Slowly Faren sheathes his sword, while letting the words of the messenger sink in.
"Let us sit down and work out the details," suggested the knight in a way that didn't seem to allow Faren any choice. "And then you can pass the information on to all the other guild members," said the Dreamlord's Captain.

Here is the information Faren passed on:

By decree of the Dreamlord, master of all the Dreamplane, guild members may participate in one Dream Challenge to take place during every Barstow turn.

If you get your results printed, your Dream Challenges will be mailed out with your first possible regular turn. Emailed results will go out with Barstow's email results.

Dream Challenges work much like regular challenge fights. It is not possible to have a Dream Challenge in the grotto, or as a field challenge. You may request specific arena layouts in Dream Challenges (such as pillars). Team fights are also possible as Dream Challenges.

It does not matter what guild you are operating out of, or what hex you are in.

It does not matter what you do in the regular turn... you can adventure and be in a Dream Challenge.

The following NPCs are available for Dream Challenges: All Senior Members (ID#s 1-12, 20-30, 200-211, 250-260), all guild NPCs (ID#s 30-50, 51-71, 221-241, 271-291), and NPC battle fillers (ID#s 1270-1299). NPC ID numbers outside of these ranges will NOT accept Dream Challenges.

A Dream Challenge carries a price of two dollars. Combat orders and messages for Dream Challenges must be created entirely from scratch the first time a character participates. The orders will be retained just like Battle and Special orders. Orders and messages for Dream Challenges are totally separate from battle and special orders and messages.

Most of the effects and consequences of a Dream Challenge are real and permanent. This includes Experience Points gained and skills learned. What's not real? Actions affecting Honor or Alignment. Death cannot really happen in a Dream Challenge, but reaching the point of death in a Dream Challenge can be unpleasant and should be avoided as much as possible.

By including the phrase "chaos nightmare" in a when-said code 2 message of a dream challenge you can force all NPC battle fillers and Senior Members involved to be warped by the forces of chaos. This will supersize them as much as is needed for them to reach 25,000 PL. If facing nineteen Half-elf Mages is no challenge you can now warp one and see how you do.

You will have to use the guild newsletter, personal diplos, guild mailing list, or other means of communication to arrange Dream Challenges with other players. There is no official posting of challenges made for next turn with Dream Challenges.

Team Combat

Just as one adventurer can challenge another to a one-on-one challenge fight, it is possible for one or more adventurers to challenge one or more others in a team challenge fight. The word "team" is used here not in the sense of adventurer groups (with leaders and charter members and group combat records), but rather in the sense of one or more adventurers temporarily being on the same side for the duration of a fight. You do NOT have to be a member of a group to participate in a team combat. Team combat means simply that three or more individuals are involved, each fighting on one of two sides. One person can challenge twelve at once, and one, some, or all of those twelve might accept. Team combat can take place in the grotto, where all the usual rules apply. There is no team combat challenge pool.

The Challenge Form is used for both one-on-one and team combat challenges. If using the form for a one-on-one challenge, you'll have nothing to fill in for team combat allies and opponents, and can skip questions one and two on the line immediately below the allies & opponents area. You can also ignore the Combat Desire and Team Cohesion setting in both strategy columns.

For team combat challenges though, it is very important that the Challenge Form be completed carefully. Here are some guidelines:
List one of your desired opponents on the "I challenge..." line, and put any other desired opponents in the blank area down just a bit and to the right. If there are any other adventurers on your side, then be sure to include them in the team combat allies section.
Team challenges may be posted ahead of time, just like one-on-one challenges. However, only if all the allies making the challenge send in meshing challenge forms will the challenge be posted in the newsletter. So if you're sending in improvements and battle orders for turn #21, you could include a challenge made out to Rorge, ID#312 and Salamder, ID#188 to take place turn #22. If there was anyone else planning to fight on your side against these two, they would have to be listed on your Challenge Form under allies, and they would have to send in a team Challenge Form of their own before the challenge can be made.
Once the team challenge is correctly made, the adventurers being challenged must respond correctly with challenge orders accepting the challenge. The challenge fight will not take place unless all adventurers involved are listed correctly on each challenge order! That means if one of your allies forgets to include you as an ally, or lists an extra opponent, or if one of your opponents sends in an acceptance without you as an opponent, then the fight will not occur as planned. Obviously team combats are going to require some planning and communication between players.
There is one way to make the challenge fight a bit more likely to occur even if a few of the participants get cold feet. By agreeing to participate even if all on your side don't show up ( by marking YES on the Challenge Form) you can assure that at least you will be there to fight. Of course if none of your opponents show then you can get into the fight pool, practice your skills, or get a temporary job. Perhaps you'll want use the message board to comment on the bravery of your no-show opponents, as well.

Team Challenge Notes
It is very important that all participants involved be made clear on the challenge forms. Please do not put the GMs in a position where they have to guess at who should really be allowed to participate. If you want the challenge to work out, be sure to be clear.
It is also possible to use team names for each team instead of listing all individual participants. In this case, however, one character on each side should be designated the team "leader," and should list out complete rosters for both sides.

Caution: the Combat Sense Skill

Absolutely vital to doing well in team combats is training in the Combat Sense skill. Without this you may be more danger to your allies than your opponents! Having level one is even safer.

Starting Position, Combat Desire, Cohesion

Team combats begin in the center of the arena, with the two sides facing one another. As set on your Challenge Form, you'll start either in the front, middle, or back row on your side, and towards the left, center, or right of that row, relative to other team members in that row.

For ultimate control over your starting position, you can use a second method, which allows you to choose your exact starting coordinate within the starting area of the arena. The arena is a grid, 50 units wide and 30 units high. One side starts on the left, the other on the right. Each side has a starting area, which is 6 rows deep and 18 columns across. So if you want to start in the very front, but as far left as you can, you would begin at row 1, column 1. For spell casting from the rear right corner you would go to row 6, column 18. Those on the same team must use the same system for indicating starting position. The distance between the two front lines is about fifteen feet, which is considered extended range. Extended range actually starts at about ten feet. When at extended range your only options are to stay put and do nothing, move in, or stay put and use an appropriate skill (such as spell casting). Whether you move or not at extended range is controlled by your combat desire. If at zero, you'll never move until an opponent moves into long range with you. If at ten, you'll always move in towards an opponent, unless your team cohesion setting makes you stay close to allies. A cohesion setting higher than zero sets the maximum distance you'd like to move away from your closest ally. One is very tight, 9 is very loose, and 0 is don't care.

Grid System Explained

In team and adventuring combats the position of all participants is listed after any move, in the form (x, y: d). The x, y are co-ordinates on a grid with the origin 0,0 in the upper left corner (see picture above), and the d is the direction the fighter is facing (north is up). We use a grid sheet with 1 inch squares, with x starting at 16 and y starting at 10, which allows us to track movements using the many 25mm figures we've accumulated. The scale is not perfect, but re-enacting the combats with figures on a grid can be fun and might provide insights toward better combat strategies.

Combat Flowchart

Here is a flowchart (in pdf only!) providing a fairly detailed look into the mechanics of AG combat. A few definitions of terms used within the chart may help...
round ­ a time period of variable length, at the start of which each fighter receives action points (the amount based on many factors). A round is over when all fighters are out of action points.
action points ­ the units of measure used to determine whose turn it is to act. Any action uses up action points.
actor ­ the combatant with the most action points is chosen as the actor.
target ­ the fighter that the actor wishes to harm is known as the target.

Travelling Between Guilds

By using the trade routes between the major cities, adventurers are able to travel between the guild halls in Antar, Barstow, and Ciston with relative ease.

Each guild has it's own leader and instructors, and a nearby grotto. Each city houses temples, taverns, and markets as well. Though each guild hall has its own atmosphere, they are similar in most respects. As players you are free to have your adventurer move between the guilds as you wish.

There is no penalty or fee for journeying to another guild. There is a slight delay before you'll receive your first turn results from the new guild though. For an example, let's imagine you're playing Morguts KneeKicker, ID#357. He's a crafty goblin who's been doing OK since his start in the Barstow guild, but he's been wanting to find a friend or two and has found only wimps and big-headed warriors in Barstow. For the sake of the example, let's also say you've just received your turn results for turn #12. Morguts placed second in his battle group, with first place going to that dim-witted lizardman using a great sword. No matter, Morguts is happy with second, already anxious to raise his cunning with the experience points, and increase his skill in lock picking with the knowledge points he's accumulated. He's definitely got to get out of Barstow though; he hasn't had a single game of cards since that jerk Regus claims to have seen Morguts cheating.

So how does Morguts go about making his way to Antar? For the most part you would fill in the Adventurer Improvement Form and Battle Orders Form much like normal, and send them in so that they arrive for the processing of Barstow turn #13. Morguts ended last turn in Barstow (check box in upper right corner). Morguts wants to travel to Antar, so he packs up all his possessions and leaves the morning after Battle Day of turn #12 (circle Antar for destination guild). Roland and Thrasher wish Morguts a safe journey as he leaves the Barstow guild. Since Morguts is out of Barstow before turn #13 there really begins, he cannot scout anyone there, and he cannot place any messages on the Barstow message board. Nor can Morguts be in a challenge fight in Barstow.

After a typically interesting but non-threatening journey, Morguts arrives in Antar, just in time to take part in the Battle Day there. (That's where the delay comes in, your turn orders must arrive for the Barstow processing, so Morguts can leave. Then the orders are held for the Antar processing, usually about a week after the Barstow processing.) Morguts receives his increase in cunning and lock picking, and joins the many new faces in Antar in the training battles. Morguts could be in a challenge fight as well (or practice or seek temporary employment). If he wanted a challenge fight, it would have to be in the pool, unless Morguts somehow already knew of a challenge fight in Antar, and he included a Challenge Form with his orders.

Teleporting Between Guild Cities

This magical method of travelling from one guild to another is available, but at a high cost and with tight restrictions. A wizard will teleport you only if you: This teleporting is not arranged through the Improvement Form. Instead you'll need to contact the GM with a note or a phone call. For emergencies the teleport service may help you out, but in general the standard method of travelling between guilds should be used.

Changing Guilds While Wilderness Adventuring

It is possible to travel cross-country to another guild city, then request to have that guild become the one you are operating from. However, unless you are moving from Barstow or Ciston, to Antar, or from Ciston to Barstow, you will have to wait one processing turn before you may be active in the new guild. This is because events at all guilds for each turn cycle are assumed to be happening at the same time, but are actually processed on separate weeks (in real life time).

Let's say Morguts is operating out the Antar guild, and decides to wilderness adventure to the Barstow hex. Since the Antar turn is processed first out of the four guilds in a turn, it may seem like Morguts should be able to participate in the Barstow turn processed the next week. He can't, however, because in game time that Barstow turn is happening at the same time as the Antar turn.

If you'd like to change your active guild while wilderness adventuring, you'll need to send a note to the the GM on the turn you wish to make the switch. You'll also need to be in the same map hex as that new guild. Refer to the a href="Adv.html">Adventuring section for details on Wilderness Adventuring.

Travelling Reminder
None of the orders on your Improvement Form will be processed in the guild you are travelling out of (except the order to travel), so it is not possible to give items to another character before you leave. It is possible to receive items from other characters in the guild you are leaving (but you won't get a printout of that fact).
Once you arrive in your destination guild, all the orders on your Improvement Form will be processed.

Disease

Despite advances in healing magic, many diseases still exist in the AG world. Most diseases affect only the health of a character, but some may be more severe, affecting other attributes, especially if not cured quickly. Characters who adventure may come across disease-carrying creatures, and may become diseased. Characters in the Guild are not necessarily safe either if the population of rats in the city reaches a level of twenty or more, or if they encounter a diseased creature. Diseases are given a level of severity which, if not cured, may increase. If a character becomes diseased, that character has several options. He or she may use the Special Action Rest, may visit the Temple of Safandi, and/or may have someone cast a Cure Disease spell. These options are listed under Extra Actions and Special Actions.

Rats and Disease

The "Rat Population Level" on the City Report indicates the danger level of any of the general population becoming diseased. A level of 20 or greater means that diseases are possible. The Pest Control Engineer in each city calculates this level, and invites any guild members to kill rats whenever possible. One way to do this is to use the Patrol City challenge fight option. Another is to adventure to the Rat Tunnel adventure site.

The Guild Library

The quality of the guild library is listed in the City Report in the newsletter. A high library quality level (above 50) adds to KP gained through study and practice, while a low level (below 50) subtracts. To increase the library quality, a character can use the Special Action Maintain Library, or give gold to Yerikan the Sage (ID# 13).

The Varna Calendar

Varna's climate provides varying seasonal conditions throughout the year. The current date is listed on the City Report in the newsletter each week.

The following is a summary of the calendar and seasons:

The months (in order), and the corresponding seasons are:

Getting More Involved in AG

Adventurers Guild is not a static game. We are constantly trying to make it a better game, and gaming experience, for our players. To that end we welcome submissions of fiction, artwork, game enhancement ideas, and any other feedback.

If you've got a picture of your character, send it to us and we'll try to include it in an upcoming newsletter (originals will be returned if requested). The same is true for fiction pieces. We may not be able to use them right away, but materials that add to the overall game experience are always welcome. The box below contains a player-submitted fiction piece (special thanks to Ruark Cleary).

Game enhancement ideas are also welcome. Keep in mind though, that we can't always tell you why a certain idea won't work because in doing so we might be giving out "classified information." Also keep in mind that while we may like your ideas it may take us a while to add them to the game.

Cormac mac Grymm is momentarily distracted by the din of words being hurled about with great vigor and abandon. "Good!" "Evil!" "Good!!" "Evil!!" "Am not!" "Are too..." Soon, the constant droning causes Cormac mac Grymm to drift in thought; back to a simpler, quieter time...
Grymm mac Deth watches as the advancing goblin horde swarms toward the snow-capped hilltop where he stands alone. Alone except for his seven-year old son by his side.
"They come. They die. Or you do."
A pair of hardier goblins reach the crest well ahead of their fellows. Without pausing in his lesson, Grymm mac Deth casually swings his sword and cleanly decapitates both goblins.
"Death is not evil. Death is not good. All things die in time. You fight to live. While you live, you fight. When you stop fighting, you die."
His words finished, Grymm mac Deth turns away and begins the return to his distant settlement.
Cormac mac Grymm watches as a score of goblins reach the base of the hill. Cormac mac Grymm briefly holds his sword aloft in silent acknowledgement to Badb, Morrigu, and Cuchullain; then charges down the hill....
Cormac mac Grymm mentally returns to the task at hand. With a coarse oiled cloth, crusted gore is cleaned from well-honed blades. Soon, these blades would bathe in fresh blood. Soon, Cormac mac Grymm would once again adventure with the Tainted Souls. Soon, Cormac mac Grymm would fight again. For he was Cormac mac Grymm, and he was alive!


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