While I was on the road to Luir's...

[Bedhead]

I just came across an archive of the old GDB from when I first played Arm some two years ago.  Reading some of the posts there really got me reminiscing about my first experiences as a new player here.

First Character – Started in Red Storm, despite recommendations to start in Allanak.  My logic probably fell along the lines of 'Stay away from other players until you learn the mechanics'.  It was probably a good idea since the -one- character that I encountered in a shop there got 'considered' (To my defense, they were wearing a hooded cloak and the last mud that I played on had hooded figures which were 'aggro mobs', and yes they attacked even in shops.)  So, freshly equipped in my nifty new swag, I proceeded to head north from Storm to rid the world of evil... and fell off the Shield Wall.  After a long agonizing recovery (cool! I just have to sleep and I'm healed...*three minutes later*) I wandered off to find my first victim, a gith.  Maybe twenty minutes of fight/run/sleep/fight... later, I saw my first mantis head – classic noob.

It wasn't until my fifth character (maybe a week or two later) that I finally started evolving.  I must have developed some sort of communication skills, because I remember hooking up with some other character in the Northlands (humorously, the only character who has ever 'considered' -me-).  He convinced me that I needed a cloak and that the only place I could get one was in Luir's.  We didn't have kanks, so we hoofed it on down the North Road, and before long I became tired.  My fellow wayfarer told me to sleep for a bit an he would watch over me, and then I could do the same for him – of course I lay right down and go to sleep.  Moments later I wake to combat scroll as he's happily trying to sever my head and I run... and run... Suddenly, a storm kicks up so harsh that I can't see a thing.  While my character was sitting there in the dark bleeding, someone, -something- came to him.  I have no idea what exactly it was and I won't describe what happened in the middle of that storm, but it had my fingers shaking as I played through it.  Even its name gives me a little creepy feeling when I think it.  It's my first memory of ever role-playing, or even emoting in Arm and whichever Imm that was, got me hooked, and hooked bad.

I wish I kept logs of those early days, because it would be fun to look back and see how I developed.  Although, it's kind of nice to only have those things in my memory because they probably didn't happen as grandiose as I remember.

Anyway, I'm still learning as I go and I have a long way before I consider myself a good role-player.  But, looking back I can see that I have improved and it gives me hope.

So, please – I'd love to hear other players' first character experiences – old and new players alike.

(It would be especially cool if someone remembered being 'considered' in Red Storm or trying to PK someone on the way to Luir's to buy a cloak)

Cheers

[creeper386]

I don't really have any great stories or grand mistakes. Came from a heavy MUDing and RP background. Spent I think a good day reading over the documents after I created an account. Although I had good information of someone I trusted tell me about Arm, and I liked what I saw so I read alot. May not have had great first characters. Think most of them died when I was bored and there was noone around. Back when there was like 5 people on late at night and such.

My worse mistake was losing my new uder stat elf to falling down a well I think. Beyond getting bored and stepping outside the gates as is common though. If there isn't excitement might as well make some with a quick gith attack or something, ya know?


Creeper has nothing good, *sigh*

I had a similar "Sleep and I'll watch out for you!" thing, but I only got robbed... of my stuff and kank... while in the middle of the desert

[Dyrinis]

I'm not sure if anyone remembers the Belgoi infested maze of "Muk Utep's Gardens" that used to exist outside of the walls of Old Tuluk about eight years ago. My first char, a half-giant, wandered out of the gates and became completely lost there. I also naively believed that the wish command was used to get yourself out of precarious situations. It went something like this:

You wish to the gods:
"OHH MERCIFUL GODS PLEASE SPARE ME FROM THIS FATE"

You wish to the gods:
"PELASEE HELP ME I AM NEW PLAYER I AM FROM ALEXMUD"

You wish to the gods:
"PLEASE SAVE ME OH GODS I AM GOING TO DIE PLEASE HELP"

You wish to the gods:
"AUGHAUGHLGAGKAKCLDSA-023535J235"

You wish to the gods:
"DLKSAJFC,C,CX1"

You wish to the gods:
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON OOOOOOOOOOOOOOONOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

The gods have taken away your ability to wish!
A bell rings from somewhere nearby.
A belgoi raider has arrived from the north.
A belgoi raider has arrived from the north.
A belgoi raider has arrived from the north.
A belgoi raider has arrived from the north.
Etc...DING

Dyrinis

[Mr.Camel]

My first, was an elf in 'nak. Something happened, and I ended up being chased by a VERY elf hating human. The chase went on and on throughout 'nak, until I somehow found myself on a balcony, cornered. And next I knew, I was flying off the balcony, fell on my head and lost consciousness, he then grabbed my unconscious ass, dragged me to some corner and slit my throat.

He was a great roleplayer too, so I was hooked.

[sparrowtm]

Darn, I'm still playing my FIRST character  :shock: She seems invincible. INVINCIBLE I said ! Muaahahah .... sorry

[Malifaxis]

Dyrinis wrote:

(his entire post)

You're my new hero.  I'm naming one of my children Dyrinis.

[spawnloser]

My first character died to trying to turn in a criminal...sorta.  it is humorous, looking back at it...but I was pissed at the time.

[Edit] Oh, I forgot to mention...she was killed by the authorities when trying to turn someone in to them.

[Tamarin]

I playe my first character with a friend of mine.  We both had assassins, and we decided that the labyrinth was cool, so we headed in there.  We managed to stay alive, though we did eventually die later.

What happened was this, and I still don't quite understand it.  We ran across this old dude who we -think- was a PC.  We're talking to him about what I can only assume was the guild (though it was looong ago).  Anyways, that old guy gets into a kerfuffle with some, and just smokes him, ya know.  I mean really wollops him bade.  The other guy had no chance.

So the old dude comes back to where we camped. ....and keels over.  He just died right in front of us.

We were like, "Whoah!   He died of old age!"  We were hooked.  Then we looted his corpse and took off.  Hee hee.

[Quirk]

To be frank, I don't remember my first character. I certainly wasn't hooked on Arm after it. I have some dim memory of one of my early characters getting emotelessly subdue-killed by a cloaked figure while out foraging in the farmlands near 'Nak. Another, my first to start in the North, couldn't find a tavern or shops for some reason and, going too far along the wrong road, ran into a pack of gortok and died in his newbie gear.

I played a few characters (persistent, me), but didn't really get into Arm, and took fair-sized breaks between them. I'd learned to RP in the RPI sense on Harshlands, and was still playing there; the first few characters were just to try Arm out, and I think I got involved in a particularly cool plot on Harshlands and I stopped attempting to play Arm for a while. Then my Harshlands character had to lay low for a while, outlawed for something he didn't do, and I tried Arm again.

This time things were different. I made my seventh character, a copper-haired human warrior with a daredevil, happy-go-lucky sort of personality. He began as a hunter in 'Nak, back in the day when you could hunt in the South. He had a blast. He came to the attention of a certain long-lived Oashi aide who drafted him into the House as a Cadet. Being a House guard was a rather duller life, hardly on the edge, and Harshlands had got interesting again, but I still logged in somewhat. Internal conflicts in the House between people he liked arose, and led to some great RP, culminating in his departure from the House at the end of his Cadet period as a protest over the treatment of one he regarded as a friend. He fell back into hunting, but was far more skillful. Living by his wits made Arm fun again, and he became fairly well off. He took up hanging round with a certain prim and prissy female 'Nakki merchant who constantly wore a veil, and who was the first person I ever recall seeing who consistently used the directional emotes. His end is scarcely worth relating, it was a damp squib of an ending, but he was a 10-day warrior when he died and had convinced me that Arm was a MUD well worth playing. I took some breaks after that, but my return was by then pretty much a foregone conclusion.

Kudos to a certain Oashi Sergeant of Desert Ops and to that prim and prissy veiled lady. Their RP was to a large extent what got me hooked in the first place, and I owe them both my thanks.

Quirk

[Twilight]

My first character was a half-giant warrior up in Old Tuluk.  After an hour of complete twinkish behaviour, someone let me know the difference between IC and OOC (I had come from Arctic, a hack and slash themed mud).  I eventually went outside the gates, and a whole bunch of people were sparring.  So I joined in, and my first match was against a puny little human Krathi.

He actually let me attack first, I got off several misses before he took me to less than twenty hitpoints with magick.  Quickly.  Easily.  Ouch.  After discovering I needed to sleep, and sleeping, I decided the PC population was much too harsh.  So I went along the north road, determined to see what I could see.  Eventually, I saw another half giant in the distance!  From the docs, I knew that another half giant would be nice and friendly.  So I ran up to him.  And then I ran away from that, um, "friendly" half giant with a crescent moon tattoo.  But the Blackmoon got me in the end.

My second character was an elven whiran, because I figured that would make up for not being able to ride.  I didn't leave the outer walls until I could go invis.  Kohmar were happy to employ me and let me practice in their little garden, it was great.  That character never actually died, I've often toyed with creating a old (ok, by now several hundred years old) and withered elf whiran with a penchant for talking about the "good old days" of Kohmar, the Ironswords, and drinking in the Crater.

[Barzalene]

My first pc was hired by Borsail. I fell in love with the mud when I watched Nasame (or something like that) order his guards to open the curtain at Traders for him. (I don't know it's the little things.) Lord Borsail outfitted me in a pretty red dress and some nice jewelery. A day or two later I wandered off to see the city. Didn't take long before the streets started to wind and the air smelled bad. Next thing you know some really filthy guy is trying to kill my pc. She ran and ran. Finally, she found a tall elf in a black cloak. She said, "Help me. Please, help me."

Then I started writing up my second pc.

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

I wasn't your average newbie, just jumping right into the game... I read a few docs and planned out my character for about a week before joining the actual game. I knew enough to make a human character in Allanak. I was excited and eager to try this 'RP' thing, and I had no hopes of being a swashbuckling hero smacking down NPCs left and right.

However, I completely neglected to read up on Zalanthas' culture, namely commoner/noble relations. I met a female PC noble that gave me some subtle hints that I wasn't to be talking to her (and when I was persistent, she continued with some not-so-subtle hints). She gave me a vague job, requesting 'information' from the streets of Allanak. In a panic, fearing the wrath of this noble, who was (apparently) better than me in every way, shape and form, I ran about the streets of Allanak harassing various NPCs. Less than a RL hour later I returned to the noble with the highly-sensitive information that a man was selling waterskins in the Main Bazaar.

The noble and her entourage laughed at me, scolded me, and things suddenly turned violent. I made the twinkiest escape ever, and died less than four hours of play time later to an Allank guard, completely ingorant of 'nosave'.

I never saw that noble again, but I'd like to thank him/her/it for breaking character a bit to help a newb. The interaction your provided gave me the courage to start my second character. Which was eaten by a scrab. Go figure.

Now that I had learned not to A) tick off nobility or B) hunt scrab, I created a human warrior with a bland description, expecting him to die as quickly as my previous two characters, but hoping to learn a bit more about roleplaying, the game world, and the game's mechanics before he croaked. I ran into a Byn Sergeant, coughed up 300 'sid, and thus began the saga of my longest lived character to date.

I mastered the EMOTE system, learned to talk at tables, and other bare essentials under the tutelage of a very well-known and respected character. Due to IC considerations, I cannot tell you that person's name. However, it did start with 'S' and rhyme with 'Mujaal'. Thanks man.

Over time my character grew more and more complex, I learned the subtlties of roleplay, and even helped out a few newbs myself, taking them under my wing. Thanks to that one long-lived character, and all the greats plots, players and Imms he was involved with, I'm now, officially, Armaddicted.

[Rindan]

I swear that at one time half the MUD was in the Byn, and half of them in Sujaal's unit.  Those were good times with a great crew.  That was my single best Byn experience.  There were a lot of very skilled RPers in at the time, and it seemed like every week something was happening.  Some n00b runner or another needed an ass kicking, someone was trying to kill someone else, or something mission was underway.  The RP from the leaders, even the 'unofficial' trooper leaders, was just top notch.  The clan had great internal conflict going on at all times.  

Thinking back now, it seemed nearly everyone I knew out of that unit went on to do great thing and have great characters.  I know that for me personally, I that was easily my favorite character and he went on to do awesome things outside of the Byn.  It was really unusual how so many people managed to survive for so long and develop such strong characters.  Those were damn good times.

[crymerci]

I keep wanting to finish the title of this post (ala the man from St. Ives).

While I was on the road to Luir's, I met a man with seven...

beers? doers? cures?

What in Krath's name does Luir's rhyme with?

[Mean cranky better than U]

However, I completely neglected to read up on Zalanthas' culture, namely commoner/noble relations. I met a female PC noble that gave me some subtle hints that I wasn't to be talking to her (and when I was persistent, she continued with some not-so-subtle hints). She gave me a vague job, requesting 'information' from the streets of Allanak. In a panic, fearing the wrath of this noble, who was (apparently) better than me in every way, shape and form, I ran about the streets of Allanak harassing various NPCs. Less than a RL hour later I returned to the noble with the highly-sensitive information that a man was selling waterskins in the Main Bazaar.

The noble and her entourage laughed at me, scolded me, and things suddenly turned violent. I made the twinkiest escape ever, and died less than four hours of play time later to an Allank guard, completely ingorant of 'nosave'.

I remember that vividly. I'm really glad we encouraged you to play on rather than scaring you off. Wow, reading that gave me giggles.

[creeper386]

When I first started the Byn was absolutely incredible. Lots of great people in there. Very good role models.

I haven't really seen the Byn in action for awhile so can't say much, but it seems to me the Byn is coming up on another one of those great times with lots of good people in it again. Now just need another RPT to kill everyone off. It'll happen.


Creeper

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Currently, the Byn is doing pretty damned well.

[Angela Christine]

There was a young woman from Luirs'
Whose virtue, they say, was not pure,
The truth I don't know
But many a beau
Spent a small fortune on Cures.

AC

[Anonymous]

There was a young woman from Luirs'
Whose virtue, they say, was not pure,
The truth I don't know
But many a bo
Spent a small fortune on Cures.

This is fabulous.  And I'm intimidated by your creativity.  Rather than show enough mental acuity to come up with my own, I'll just try to denigrate your's by pointing out you misspelled 'beau'.

There, back down to my level you go, AC.

[SailorMars]

There was a young woman from Luirs'
Whose virtue, they say, was not pure,
The truth I don't know
But many a bo
Spent a small fortune on Cures.

:lol:  AC rocks.

[Angela Christine]

This is fabulous.  And I'm intimidated by your creativity.  Rather than show enough mental acuity to come up with my own, I'll just try to denigrate your's by pointing out you misspelled 'beau'.

There, back down to my level you go, AC.

I was, erm, talking about guys named Bo.  Yeah, that's the ticket.  She had a fetish for guys named Bo.

AC

[Faglore]

A bell rings from somewhere nearby.
A belgoi raider has arrived from the north.
A belgoi raider has arrived from the north.
A belgoi raider has arrived from the north.
A belgoi raider has arrived from the north.
Etc...DING

Dyrinis

Those damn Belgians...

[Anonymous]

Now that I had learned not to A) tick off nobility or B) hunt scrab, I created a human warrior with a bland description, expecting him to die as quickly as my previous two characters, but hoping to learn a bit more about roleplaying, the game world, and the game's mechanics before he croaked. I ran into a Byn Sergeant, coughed up 300 'sid, and thus began the saga of my longest lived character to date.

.

Does anyone notice how the characters you make to play a short-lived fun role end up being super-powerful and long lived?

I made a rinthi thug once, just cause I was tired of the 'be a guard' thing. He ended up surviving so long and escaping a lot...once at 4 stun and 13 hp...

Never got any training really until the HPRT, he ended up hooking up with a certain bunch of rinthers...And was one of the only ones to stay alive, by super luck against a party of 'good' guys.

And then he died because I made a STUPID mistake...

*curses bar NPC's8* Guys, they auto attack and are bad. Bad.

[creeper386]

I made a rinthi thug once, just cause I was tired of the 'be a guard' thing. He ended up surviving so long and escaping a lot...once at 4 stun and 13 hp...

Psh... Try a merchant at -8 hp out in the desert after being attacked by an NPC and live!

Creeper

[sacac]

say festish fer guys named bo...
Well then :lol: :wink:....
My name is Beau.... I spell it Beau...
Had 5 friends named:
Bo, Beu, Bow, Bo, and of course.. Beau then there was me..
awhile... back on topic.

My character I have no wasn't supposed to livea month... been like 5..  :evil:

[Stroker]

he then grabbed my unconscious ass

Hehe, so that's what got you hooked, huh? Can't say I'm surprised. I like molesting unconscious people as well.

[Mr.Camel]

:lol:

Sick communist.....

[Gawynn]

Ahah, my first character is one of my favorite amusing stories, and great memories... this was geez.. eight years ago or so, and I made a standard fighter character, expecting that class to be the easiest to learn. I think his name was Torbin. Anyway, I began my character in Tuluk (way before the whole Tuluk destruction/rebuilding thing), and found my way to the main tavern, and began to seek work. In a surprisingly short time, I found work with a freelance hide merchant as his personal guard. I trained as his guard for about 2 RL days, then he decided to make a trip to Allanak. So Torbin the newbie guard began his first trip outside the gates, struggling to keep up with the merchant while riding an old brown kank. I vividly remember that old brown kank. We made it to Luirs without any ruckus, and the merchant informed me we were going to meet a friend of his somewhere on the road. Sounds good, so off we go. Needless to say, riding along the shield wall, we were ambushed by Gith. Despite being a complete newbie warrior, Torbin lunged valiantly into the fray to defend the merchant, and surprisingly, was holding his own well enough for a long while (the Gith weren't nearly as powerful then). Inevitably, they were too much, and I was forced to flee... in the confusion, I got away by jumping right off the shield wall. You'd think this story would end here... but it didn't. I survived the fall, barely, and ended up sleeping to recover... absolutely terrified that more Gith would walk up on me. After some long period, I recovered enough to wake up, and sat there uncertain for a while before waying the merchant, who was still alive. I told him of my situation, and he, a bit surprised I was alive, told me he had found his friend, and that I should climb the shield wall. I endeavored to do so, and ended up nearly dying after a few nasty falls. He gave me some more hints, and I managed to get out, mostly dead, and expecting Gith any moment. By some miracle, I navigated a little bit further and he met me with his friend, and I ended up on the old brown kank again, which carried me safely to Allanak. Of course, no happy ending here, for the very next time I logged, full of the joy of life, I went outside the gates to challenge the Gith, because I'd done a fair turn at them, and thought I could manage well enough. I seem to remember killing one somehow by myself, and running to the gates with another, which the guards assisted with. I noticed on the body some spice, however, which (being from Tuluk) I was excited because I knew I could sell it. So I scooped up the spice and tried to enter the Allanaki gates. Tsk, such a shame to survive such a catastrophe and die in such a sad way.

Gawynn

[Gar]

My first character, over a year ago was a warrior/ woodcutter in Tuluk.  I was doing pretty darn good, making sids and a few friends.  One day while chopping a tree I lay down to rest and fell asleep.  I was asleep for only a short time when I was awakened by someone slicing into me.  I hopped up and before I could even assess the situation, I was running, bleeding.  The assailant had taken most all of my gear too.  I ran back to town and with the very few sids left I bought a club.  I think I had only a club and maybe my pants, nothing else.  I was cut up and bleeding and mad.  I went back out and sure enough, the thief was still there.  I attacked him and nearly killed him.  He ran to the city gates and parked down next to the soldiers.  I tried to threaten him, he ended up giving me back most of the stuff he took and we ended up having a friendly discussion.  I plotted my revenge but never saw him again.

Later on my same character had somehow defeated a halfling.  I thought I was pretty tough (later I realized the halfling had no weapon on him) and could handle halflings with a 2 day warrior.  I met another newbie and decided to show him the ropes.  We ventured into the grey forest and I saw a halfling.  I told him we could take it on so we tried.  We both died a cruel death that day.  The funny part was I was the "expert" telling this guy what to do etc.  I didn't know shit.