Shattered Kingdoms

I decided to play a male Griffon barbarian as my first character here. Quite different from what I'm used to roleplaying, and quite fun as well.

Im quite used to muds in general, though this is my first time here. Can't seem to find a trainer inside the city of Taslamar itself, and most characters seeming hatred towards griffons doesn't help when asking for advice or directions.

Tried using the mentor command, but never got a response back. Know my way around the city well enough, and make a friends or two. Did my share of roleplaying, but can't figure how to advance past novice at the moment.

Well, the mentor command is a good place to start. You might also try sending a tell to someone with a title that seems as if they'd be 'friendly' to your character. For example, on the who list, if you see:

[--- ---] Name1, Shining Paladin of Goodness
[--- ---] Name2, Disciple of Blood
[--- ---] Name3, Griffon Eater
[--- ---] Name4, Taslamaran Griffon

1 and 4 would be the 'friendlies' for your griffon. Conversely, when you decide to play an evil character, 2 and 3 are more likely to help you out.

Hope that helps a bit.

Tip one learn extra languages.

Type train a lot when walking around the city. Shop keepers, healers, guards, Judges often have a few useful things they can teach you.

Mentor command should find someone. It will first contact people of the same class/nation. If there are none around it will then go to the class set/nation (barbs mercs swashies) If there are none of those around it will go to all people who live in the nation. It will only contact people in your nation so if it has failed you. Look at the who list and try to find a title that looks like it is someone who might help you. You’re a griffon so look for something that is perhaps a follower of a god of light (griffons can only be good),

Make sure you have a description and an adjective. If you have these people can see you have put at least some effort into your char and are often more willing to help you out for it.

Looking for places to get some more experance use the Area command this will give you an idea of places to ask people about.

I'd note it is safe to explore the wilderness for a few squares around Exile. I wouldn't go much further without specific guidance, but that's enough for you to find something interesting.

Still, you want to meet people. The advice about sending tells to someone is excellent. Use 'who' to find someone with an appropriate title. If you can find a Peacekeeper (the tribunal of your nation), that'd be your best choice. Failing that, any title that seems of good alignment is worth trying. Keep it in-character of course! Tells are telepathy, not an OOC feature.

This is more for future Taslamarans than anything, but within the training grounds themselves were clues as to 'what to do next.' As a newbie, keep an eye out for NPCs particularly that speak of such things. Most newbie schools these days may contain a quest or another to get a new player to find the main city of their chosen starting country. There will be NPCs about said city who are trainers. You should also become familliar with where the inn is so you can work with a mentor as needed as well. (help mentor). And try not to advance rank more than four times until you feel fairly confident you understand the game mechanics and have a general idea of a destination in mind for when you advance out of the newbie areas so you aren't stuck in this lull. Better to be an ameature with opportunities to gain all you cain from the newbie school than a novice with no experience, and no contacts who doesn't know where to go.

Once out of newbie school, I do agree with the rest of the thread. The who list will often contain clues as to who to approach.

You also may have run into problems simply because of when you play. I have been on playing and training with a group of friends and we were it--not a single other player on the MUD at the time. There are also those that can make themselves invisible or may be dead or may be sleeping to renue their health or mana or bespeaking another player (i.e. sending TELLs) or may be having technical problems (i.e. linkdead). Therefore, if you are trying to get a person's attention for help, they may be distracted by a few other things at the time. This note is just in case you do not get an instant response to a request for aid.

I already am a novice, and I did talk to all the NPC's in the school that had something to say. Noted places I could go to fight, and had a player show me a nearby outpost. But still, on actuall trainers.

I did use the Mentor command, as stated above and got no response. I was inside the inn for at least 45 minutes after using it, and there was at least 50 players on.

Certainly learned my way around the city though. Visited the Mews and the Armoury. The royal kennel, but didn't try going inside the palace itself, though I may not be wanted.

I do have a decent description, though granted it probably could be better. Do have an appropriate adjective as well, though never bothered to give myself a title on the Who list.

The mentor command's weakness is that there is no confirmation to let you know if someone is intending to help you out. Hopefully I can fix that situation in the future. In the meantime though, if mentor fails you, the who list is your only recourse.

Exile is a particularly bad place for trainers in my mind, although I havent started a char there in quite some time. The best way to find trainers is to type Train as you walk (or as a griffon fly) around. If a NPC in the room can train you in anything they will let you know. The basic skills should still be accessible via the school grounds. Level training till at least veteran should be found in Exile. Once you get a few more levels under your belt hopefully you will have made enough IC friends to help you with more advanced trainers. If all else fails find out how to get to sith'a'niel or Nerina.

The only level trainers I have found in the city are for Priests and Paladins sadly. No one wants to teach a barbarian. One character mentioned a pass southwest of the city.. Currently exploring around there now.

Have all the skills and such I want trained up so far. Fast healing, enhanced damage, bash. Just no levels.

Trying to seek out quests as well in the meantime, though I guess if I dont find this pass i'll head back to town and try the mentor command once more.