# This is the database of text commands.

# Welcome commands are sent when you first play
# as the given character.

welcome::Caves
    Deep in the dark caves of Dreadcast lies the $(PRIZE) you seek.
    Are you worthy?  No.  But that is why you must gain it before
    the even less worthy acquire it.  With the $(PRIZE) in hand you
    can change the world.

    As you step into the caves you think of your companions, each on
    their own quest.  Will they gain their artifacts, or lose their
    lives?  You hope to reunite and each boast of success, but a dark
    foreboding warns otherwise.

    Press [F1] for help.

welcome::Palace
    Stepping off the air balloon onto the top of the Sultan's palace,
    you chuckle softly at the guards you can see patrolling the perimeter
    fruitlessly.  Down you must go, down level after level of opulence,
    looting where you might, but always driving on to the $(PRIZE).

    Gaining the $(PRIZE) is worth more than all the gold in the land.
    A smile crosses your lips.  Yes, much more.

    It is too bad your companions didn't share your priorities, but
    they've never understood the true nature of power in this world.
    While you wish them well on their quests; your own priorities
    leave you a single choice.
    
    Press [F1] for help.

welcome::Tower
    A flash of white fades, revealing musty corridors of the top level of
    the Mage Tower.  The Mage's wards have grown weak here and allowed
    you to teleport in.  Now you must head down to seek their most guarded
    possession: the $(PRIZE).

    You could use your fighter friend here, if only to bash down
    reticent doors.  And your thief companion would make a short work
    of them with a lock pick.  But they went their own ways after their
    own quests.  Well, there's nothing a force bolt won't handle.

    Press [F1] for help.

welcome::Back
    You resume your attempt to acquire the $(PRIZE)!

    Good luck!

fire::You
    Hey!  That is you on the other side of that portal!

# Game commands are the general overall commands.
game::wtf
    Three companions, three quests.  Will any succeed?

    Wizard-Thief-Fighter is close to a traditional roguelike.  However,
    rather than following a single adventurer on their quest, you are
    following a trio!

    In the spirit of "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish"; these three
    adventurers are bound by a common quest and a common map; even
    though the world they see is entirely different.

    Swap world views with [S] or the [F2], [F3] and [F4] keys.  The
    world will rebuild to reflect who is in the lead, letting you work
    together or apart as you wish.

    Barring bugs, each walkable tile corresponds to a tile on the
    other maps.  And I've sacrificed enough on the coding altars that
    there should be no bugs.

game::roguelikes
    This game is a roguelike, so makes a lot of assumptions
    that maybe surprising to newcomers.

    The game is tile-based and turn-based.

    The left side has your map. You are the @ in the middle.  # marks
    walls and . shows walkable terrain.  Use [x] to explore unknown
    symbols.

    The right side has the message list, watch this to see how effective
    your weapons are.

    The very bottom has a status line.  Of importance is your health,
    you want this high.  The Level tracks your experience - leveling
    up is important to fight deeper monsters.

    There is no Save and Continue.  This is not due to an inability to
    write save routines - you can Quit and Save at any point - but
    because the game is not about memorizing attack patterns in the
    fashion of Live-Die-Repeat, but instead about actually *learning*
    how to play.  Which is much harder.  But more rewarding.

    Have fun!

game::inventory
    Items you pick up are assigned letters a-z.  The assigned letter is
    somewhat sticky, so if you throw an dagger labelled [a] it will be
    [a] when you pick it up.  This allows one to select from one's
    inventory without having to explicitly list it.

    Many commands that interact with the inventory will provide a short
    list of all letters that make sense for that command.  For example:
       Wield what? [abdj?*]

    The prompt suggests that items a, b, d, and j are weapons you might
    want to wield in your hands.  [?] will list those items in detail if
    you can't recall what letter is which.  [*] will list all items you
    are carrying in case you want to wield something not-sensible.
    [.] will toggle between inventory and ground items for commands
    that support that, such as eating [e].  [#] signifies you can
    type a number too, for example, to drop [d] a specific quantity.

    If you find this too confusing, you can turn on pop-up menus in the
    Options [Esc] menu for a more modern, but less fluid, experience.

game::movement
    There are many ways to move around whether you are a wizard, thief, or
    fighter!  Hopefully one of them appeals to you - please do not be
    offended that some esoteric methods are supported.

    You can move and attack in 8 directions, but so can your foes.

    Climbing Down is with [>] and Climbing Up with [<].  You can wait
    in place with [.].  To wait for a long time (perhaps to heal) try
    [M] for meditate.

    You can use arrow keys for four-way movement with PageUp/Down and Home/End
    as diagonals.

    The number pad can be used if you are lucky enough to have keyboard still
    sporting such a thing.  If your visualization is good, you can use regular
    numbers as well.

    Wizards will be happy vi-keys are supported:
        7 8 9  y k u
         \|/    \|/
        4-5-6  h-.-l
         /|\    /|\
        1 2 3  b j n

    You can't use the mouse.  Put it back in the desk drawer where it belongs.

game::keyboard
                     - Using Items -
       - [e] Eat                - [q] Quaff, or drink
       - [r] Read               - Shift [F] Forget a spell
       - [z] Zap a Spell        - [t] Throw     
       - [a] Apply Tool         - Shift [E] Enhance Item
                     - Interacting -
       - [o] Open               - [c] Close
       - Shift [K] Kick         - [s] Search
                     - Information -
       - [x] Look at square     - Shift [X] Report visible
       - [i] Inspect Inventory  - Shift [I] Intrinsics
       - [@!$%*+?=[()] List Inventory of Type (US Keyboard :<)
       - Shift [Z] Status       
                 - Inventory Management -
       - [g] [,] Pickup Any     - [d] Drop
       - Shift [G] Pickup Item  - Shift [D] Drop All
       - [w] Wield              - Shift [W] Wear
       - [f] Fire               - Shift [R] Ready Ranged
       - Shift [T] Take Off
                      - Movement -
       - [.] Wait One Turn      - [<] [>] Climb
       - Shift [M] Meditate 	- Shift [S] Shift World
       - [F2] [F3] [F4] Shift World
                        - TTS -
       - [p] Replay Message
       - [{] Previous Message   - [}] Next Message
                      - System -
       - Shift [Q] Quit & Save  - [~] Restart New Game
       - [Esc] Shift [O] Options- [F1] This Help


game::lose
    The fall of the last of the companions marks the end of their
    quests.  It seems there will be no regrouping to tell tales
    of adventure; or to proudfully boast of acquiring the key item
    they covet.

    Hit a key to report your final stats and play again.  Perhaps
    another trio of adventurers will prove more fortunate.

game::lose::Caves
    A tall statue was erected in honour of the fighter's prowess
    and skills.  Is this due to honour?  Or to assuage some feeling of
    guilt at having a barrier to our own success removed?

    It is best not to dwell, there is still work to be done.

game::lose::Tower
    The wizard had, as an unfortunate precaution, pre-cast numerous
    magic mouth spells throughout the world.  Their unasked advice
    spouting out at inopportune times soon sours our memory of them.

game::lose::Palace
    The death of the thief led to a world-wide hunt for the massive
    treasure they had amassed over their career.  Many false maps
    were sold by charlatans, and many deserted islands dug to sea level,
    but no treasure was ever found.  But perhaps the real treasure was
    the friends made along the way?

game::escape::Caves
    You escape the caves with your life.  And, you could argue, your
    honour, for your failure was your companion's success.  But as
    you watch their actions in the world you grow bitter at their
    misuse of their prize.  If you had the Cloak of Steel you might
    be able to balance their actions; but without it you are but a
    gnat that they will likely silence one day.

game::escape::Tower
    You didn't get the Orb of Knowledge, but surely your friend's
    success would be as sweet.  To your disappointment, your friend's
    ears are not open to all your advice.  They go astray from the
    obvious way to use their prize.  If only you had the Orb perhaps
    you'd know the right words to sway them.  But you can only watch,
    increasingly powerless, as they lead the world into a dystopia.

game::escape::Palace
    You rejoin your friends to recount the excitement of infiltrating the
    Palace.  You downplay your disappointment in failing your own quest,
    instead focusing on the success of your companion.

    Later, in one of your better hidden hide-outs, you think on the
    future.  Thievery as you know it has no place in the new world
    being built by your companions.  They've never paid attention
    those arcs of power; and now they feel they need not.  And with
    the power of the prize, perhaps they are right?

    Still, you will not give in.  You will thieve until they personally
    escort you to the gallows.

game::victory::Caves
    Fools think that because you spent your youth training your sword
    arm rather than practicing letters that you lack wisdom.  Scribes
    can be hired to read the Leviathan aloud whilst you exercise.

    You have spent years pondering the solution to society's ills.
    There is no reason for life to be brutal or short.  What people need
    is a single ruler to entrust their safety to.  The quality of
    the ruler isn't important - the importance is the stability they
    can bring.

    Now, with the Cloak of Steel, you are impervious to all physical
    assaults.  You fear not the dagger in the dark and can take your
    place as a ruler without fear of assassination induced instability.

game::victory::Palace
    At last!  The Midas Wand is yours!

    Your companions always were puzzled by your avarice - why continue
    to steal when you have already become rich a hundred times over?
    They do not know where your riches have gone - straight back to
    the poor of society.  For the great sin of the world is capitalism,
    the unseen hand that controls all and drives people to starvation in
    midst of plenty.

    Your thievery has redistributed plenty of wealth, but inequality
    remains and grows.  A full reset is needed.  And with the Midas
    Wand you will be able to devalue gold to worthlessness, thereby
    destroying the all the world's financial systems.

game::victory::Tower
    You scry deeply into the Orb of Knowledge.  Within it you see the
    room you are in.  You dive deeper, and see yourself.  Deeper still,
    and you start to read your own thoughts.  Patterns dissolve into
    self-referential loops hoisted by y-combinators.  You smile.

    There is no free will.  All actions are either a result of rationally
    weighed reason or from a thrown die.  The illusion persists as we don't
    know the value of the cards until they are flipped.  But with the
    Orb you know all the cards, so can chart the best course for the
    world that the thermal noise of chance allows!

game::victory
    Congratulations!  You have won Wizard-Thief-Fighter!

    Hit a key to list what you finished with and play again as a fresh
    trio.

game::about
    Wizard-Thief-Fighter was created by Jeff Lait.

    It's home on the web can be found at:
    http://www.zincland.com/7drl/wtf

    The Chronicles of Doryen provide graphics:
    http://doryen.eptalys.net/

    Randomness courtesy of the Mersenne Twister:
    http://www.math.sci.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/~m-mat/MT/emt.html

    Questions and comments can be sent to the author at
    jmlait at gmail dot com.


item::dagger
    A short and sharp pointed blade.  It is thin enough to stab
    between the cracks of plate armour, but sturdy enough to not
    snap off in the first attempt.  Adventurers like yourself
    frequently carry a dagger for its versatility.  Not only can it be
    thrown, but it also has plenty of non-combat applications.

item::shortsword
    A short, sturdy, and straight blade.  Designed for dense
    formations of infantry to wield without interfering with their
    squad mates, the mass manufacture has led to its wide availability.
    Thus it is not surprising to see it used by solo combatants, and
    some have built new martial arts around this.

item::longsword
    The sword of the elite - it is meant for dueling between the
    higher classes, not for vulgar scrums or dense formations.
    Perhaps because of this, it is also preferred among adventurers
    who wish to see themselves as elite.

item::great axe
    While you can take a wood axe and use it as a weapon, you can do a
    lot better if you consider the balance and necessities of battle.
    This axe has been forged with careful attention to weight to
    ensure you can react to changes in the battlefield.  Extra
    strengthening has been designed in to withstand the rigours of
    combat.

item::club
    A stout stick of wood suffices to beat most simple foes into the
    ground.  Clubs are as often broken pieces of furniture used as
    weapons as they are weapons designed for the purpose.

item::mace
    A short rod of metal weighted for easy wielding, the mace is a
    favorite weapon of those that prefer brute force over subtlety.

item::warhammer
    A well designed hammer provides precision control for applying
    force to the target.  This is similar to the needs of a warhammer,
    but while hammers have innovations like dead-blow technology to
    minimize damage on the object struck; a warhammer's evolutionary
    pressure has led it in the opposite direction.

item::spear
    A short staff with a sharp pointed blade affixed to the end.  It
    can be effectively in hand-to-hand combat, but can also be thrown
    to dissuade foes from approaching.

item::arrow
    A straight stick with a flint attached at one side and feathers
    fletching the other.  Not much use on its own, but deadly when
    used with a bow.

item::rock
    A heavy fist-sized rock.  Like your ancestors that lived in caves,
    you can smash with it in melee, or even throw at a range.  If you
    find a sling you can step up the evolutionary ladder and send it
    much faster and farther.

item::boulder
    A massive rock, vaguely spherical in shape.  It is rather out of
    place in the tower, not matching the stone of the walls.  If this
    were glacier country you'd identify it as an erratic.  But it
    isn't, so your knowledge of geology fails you.

item::bow
    A wooden staff bent under the pressure of a bow string.  With the
    aid of arrows you can pin cushion foes at a safe distance.

item::sling
    A leather strap, simple in appearance.  But you recall your
    attempts to fabricate an improvised sling to escape the dungeon of
    T'losh.  There is a lot of design that goes into these!

item::robes
    Long robes robes died with a faded blue.  Various yellowish star-shaped
    patches show it is the preferred outfit of wizard.

item::leather jacket
    A jacket made of stiff leather.  It will deflect attacks from
    hitting you.  And make you look cool as a bonus.

item::studded leather jacket
    Many leather studs have been rivetted onto this leather jacket.
    It will increase the protective qualities, but the inept attempt
    at bedazzlement has reduced the cool factor significantly.

item::ringmail
    Overlapping iron rings are stitched to this leather armour,
    providing extra protection from slashing attacks.

item::chainmail
    Small metal rings are interwoven to form a continuous cloth of
    metal.  The resulting armour is quite effective preventing cutting
    attacks.

item::scalemail
    Small plates overlap over a leather base.  A clever geometric
    arrangement makes them free to move, but on impact they spread the
    force out reducing the effectiveness of blunt weapons.

item::plate mail
    Large sheets of metal protect the wearer of this armour.  Edged
    strikes bounce off, blunt blows are dissipated, and pointed probes
    have difficulty finding a crack.

item::fullplate
    No appendage is too small to be protected by this impressive work
    of engineering.  Joints are all protected by sliding layers of
    metal, and every finger is individually gauntleted.

    Despite this, experts are able to move unencumbered in this
    armour.

item::pick axe
    A tool usually found in a mine, not in a tower.  But the walls
    here are all stone; so it likely will come in use.

item::lockpick
    A tensioning bar and a thin wire to use as the pick.  With these a
    skilled thief can open doors faster than they could with the keys.

item::writing set
    A small box containing a quill and bottles of magically imbued
    ink.  With these a skilled wizard can turn blank pages into
    magical spells.

item::chunk of meat
    A raw chunk of meat.  Divorced from its corpse, you can no longer
    tell what sort of creature it came from.  A benefit of this is
    that any poison glands have already been discarded, ensuring it is
    safe to eat.

item::cooked chunk of meat
    A slab of meat that has been lightly seared.  The delicious smell
    reflects how we were shaped by the invention of fire - by
    rendering meat in flame we unlock significantly more nutritional
    content.

item::apple
    A green apple.  But this does not mean it is unripe!  It is a
    cultivar with a distinct sharp taste.  Many swear by these apples
    and cheese.  If only you could find some cheese...

item::biscuit
    A hard biscuit that has been twice-cooked.  This gives it an
    excellent preservative properties.  And where the preservatives
    have failed, the weevils just provide that extra flavour.

item::mushroom
    In dank locations sprouted these fruiting bodies.  You are pretty
    sure they are safe to eat.  Your alternative is likely death
    anyways, after all!

item::sausages
    Several links of smoked sausages that have somehow escaped
    consumption by the floors native inhabitants.

item::ration
    Standard adventurer fair, this dense nutrition-rich brick can keep
    one going for a long time.  As an added bonus, it tastes so
    horrible that there is little risk of the emergency supplies being
    raided.  Which means they will be there for an emergency.

item::chair
    A four-legged chair with a ladder back.  Recall the back is
    decorative, do not attempt to use it as a ladder.

item::table
    A four-legged table big enough to sit six.

item::shelf
    A useful shelf to store things.  Currently it is storing cobwebs
    and dust.

item::bed
    A lumpy bed.  Whoever last slept in it did not make the sheets.
    Indeed, you really don't want to investigate exactly what they did
    do with the sheets...

item::statue
    A life-sized statue of some non-descript biped.  Petty vandalism
    and age have robbed of it of both its dignity and identifying
    marks.

item::gold coin
    The universal currency of the world!  Merchants care not for what
    petty tyrant's face is stamped on these disks; they care more on
    its behaviour on the scale.

item::emerald
    One would think this highly-included beryl-cousin would be worth
    less than the more clear yellow varieties.  But fashion knows no
    logic, and the dictated of commerce ascribe the emerald to the
    higher value.

item::sapphire
    The hardness of sapphire, next to that of diamond, coupled with
    its brilliant blue colour leads to it being lust after by
    gemologists of the world.  Hopefully you can get a good price for
    this specimen.

item::diamond
    Clear and transparent, the high dispersion makes the diamond glow
    with fire the way mere glass cannot.  Coupled to its hardness it
    makes an excellent gem to adorn jewelry, so is often in high
    demand.

item::amethyst
    A beautiful purple quartz.  It will always be a precious stone in
    your heart; even if the vulgar merchants claim that the recent
    opening of mines in North Fergia have devalued it to semi-precious
    status.

item::topaz
    This vivid yellow topaz betrays the heat treating that was used to
    bring out its colour.  Nonetheless, it shall get a good price on
    the market.

item::blank scroll
    This scroll is blank, ready to accept any writing you wish to make
    on it.

item::scroll labelled [XYZZY]
    A tightly rolled scroll with a label that reminds you of the
    original adventure.  Maybe it will also teleport you?

item::scroll labelled FOOBAR
    A tightly rolled scroll.  A previous wizard has helpfully labelled
    it. Unhelpfully, it is a meta-syntactic variable name that gives
    no insight.

item::scroll labelled HELLO WORLD
    A tightly rolled scroll.  You guess this was written by a novice,
    as HELLO WORLD is often the first scroll one writes.  But if it is
    written by a novice, it is unclear if it will do what was
    intended...

item::scroll labelled ABRACADABRA
    A tightly rolled scroll with the universally recognized magic
    word proudly stenciled on the side.  So you know it is magic.
    Great.  You knew that before.

item::scroll labelled PLUGH
    A tightly rolled scroll with PLUGH on the side.  You are pretty
    sure you heard a hollow voice say that before.

item::scroll labelled XYLOTOMOUS
    The label on this scroll reminds you of your favorite folk song.
    It consists of slowly chanting one of four phrases until you are
    forcibly stopped.  Great fun at parties!

      - [XYLOTOMOUS]
      - Xylotomous.
      - Able to bore wood.
      - Even wood is bored.

item::scroll labelled READ ME
    In case you were unclear what to do with this scroll, the author
    has helpfully provided instructions on the side.  You are to read
    it.  So take it out of your mouth!

item::fire scroll
    This scroll briefly opens a channel between it and the plane of
    fire.  The resulting burst of flame can be of use, but it is
    rather dangerous to perform without adequate preparation as you
    will be in the midst of it.  Definitely keep your flammables out
    of your work area when experimenting with this.

item::identify scroll
    The runes on this scroll link your mind with the daemon Googol
    which resides in the famed Tower of Babel.  The brief insight
    grants you knowledge of all you carry.

item::teleport scroll
    Space distorts on reading this scroll, sending you to another
    place on the floor.  Useful for a quick getaway!

item::enchant weapon scroll
    Mimics the effect of the wizard's Enhance skill, but doesn't
    require a sacrificial item as a source.  Empowers your wielded
    weapon.  Be careful not to overload.

item::enchant armour scroll
    Mimics the effect of the wizard's Enhance skill, but doesn't
    require a sacrificial item as a source.  Empowers your worn
    armour.  Be careful not to overload.

item::magic mapping scroll
    Briefly gives you a bird's eye view of your surroundings, letting
    you know the layout of all the rooms or tunnels in your vicinity.
    But... Wouldn't a bird's eye view just show the ceiling?

    Magic... Always best not to ask too many questions.

item::summoning scroll
    Summons a random creature to your side.  Would be a much more
    useful spell if the creature were friendly.  But for some reasons,
    creatures don't seem to take well to being summoned into your
    presence.

item::running
    Given a clear path you can outpace most foes by breaking into
    a run.

item::choking
    Unable to breathe you choke.  You hope your airways clear soon!

item::hasted
    Magical energies course through your veins, lending your movements
    speed.

item::poisoned
    Toxic chemicals destroy your body from the inside.  If you can
    hold out long enough, you should eventually metabolize the poison
    and recover.

item::resistant to
    You skin tingles and you have no fear of $(ELEMENT).

item::vulnerable to
    You feel it would be very wise to keep far from $(ELEMENT)!

item::slow
    The very air feels thick as you struggle to move at a normal pace.

item::sick
    You feel very ill.  You will heal slowly and be harmed more from
    injuries.

item::blinded
    You cannot see.  You pray this is temporary.

item::enraged
    You are enraged, unable to tell friend from foe.  Or maybe now
    you can finally tell, and they are all foes?

item::regenerate
    Your wounds knit before your eyes as your body regenerates its
    injuries.

item::invulnerable
    Nothing can touch you!  You are invincible!

item::asleep
    You snore peacefully.  Maybe this isn't this the best place to
    catch some beauty rest?  Well, hopefully you'll wake up if anything
    interesting happens.

item::bottle of water
    This class jar apparently contains potable water!  Maybe not as
    exciting as magical elixirs, but worth more than gold to someone
    in a desert.

item::sleeping potion
    A powerful barbiturate fills this flask, ready to send the imbiber
    into a realm of pleasant dreams.

item::potion of speed
    This energetic compound is filled with taurines, caffeines, and
    amphetamines to get you moving in the morning.

item::healing potion
    A magical brew of herbs and essential oils that will accelerate the
    healing process, closing wounds in minutes rather than days.

item::greater healing potion
    Dangerous alchemical research led to the concentration of the
    healing potion into this potent brew.  It can take someone at
    Death's Gate and get them ready for combat in just one swig.

item::vial of acid vulnerability
    The esters in this substance have been formulated to catalyse
    the hydrolysis reactions that enable acids to eat through flesh.

item::oil of acid resistance
    This oil forms a protective sacrificial layer, preventing the
    target from being harmed by acids.

item::bottle of acid
    The thickly stoppered bottle contains a powerful concentrated
    acid.  Safety goggles and gloves must be worn while handling it!

item::poison potion
    The exact method by which this liquid inflicts devastating
    internal damage isn't known.  But you don't have to understand
    how it works to know why you shouldn't drink it.

item::cure potion
    A mixture of numerous anti-toxins and anti-venoms, this snake
    oil is reputed to be able to cure everything but the common
    cold.

item::red potion
    A vial of thick viscous red fluid that reminds you of clotted blood.

item::orange potion
    A fizzy orange liquid fills this vial.  It reminds you of a
    carbonated drink you enjoyed as a youth.

item::yellow potion
    It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an adventurer in
    possession of a yellow potion, must be in want of healing.

    So drink up!  It must be a healing potion.

item::green potion
    A vile smelling greenish substance clings to the wall of this bottle.

item::blue potion
    A translucent blue liquid with a surprisingly high index of refraction.
    Perhaps if it could be rendered more transparent, one could use it
    to produce some form of adaptive optics?  But in this time, drinking
    or throwing are the choices.

item::purple potion
    The violet hue of this potion recalls the colour of kobolds, making
    you wary of ingesting it.

item::white potion
    An optically thick potion containing a liquid of surprisingly low
    density.  You almost could believe it was filled by a gas rather than a
    fluid if judging by weight.

item::glowing potion
    Some ongoing reaction is causing this potion to shed a cold light.
    Maybe if you drink enough of it, you could glow too?

item::cyan potion
    A rich saturated cyan solution fills this flask.

item::pink potion
    A thick viscous pink fluid fills this bottle.  Probably good for
    heartburn?  Worth a shot: drink up!

item::blank book
    What is a spellbook without the spells?  A waste of backpack space
    say some; but those with writing sets can use these to gain access
    to new magics.

item::red book
    A thick book of runes with a glossy red cover.

item::green tome
    A thin tome of spidery writing with an embossed green binding.

item::orange tome
    An orange vapour continuously emits from this book.  Other than
    that it could be mistaken for a common manual.

item::yellow grimoire
    Originally white, the acid-laced pages of this grimoire have
    yellowed and become brittle.  You will have to take care reading
    this.

item::white book
    A pocket size book with an ivory cover.

item::glowing grimoire
    This text emits a faint phosphorescent glow.  Strangely, it
    appears equally faint under any light - not washed out by even
    strong daylight but still discernably glowing.

item::metalbound book
    The pages of this book have been bound by thick sheets of iron.
    Rust mars the cover leaving the title illegible.

item::monochrome monograph
    To save ink costs sometimes books are commissioned without colour.
    To preserve the pride of the commissioner, this option is described as
    monochrome rather than cheap.  Some clever printers even charge
    extra for the privilege of not having colour!

item::book of pugnacious polemics
    Banned in most civil societies, this book is renowned for its
    ability to start an argument among even the most level headed
    group.  Even those who strive to be offended by nothing find
    themselves offended that the book describes them as offended!

item::blue book
    The blue book is a famous reference guide for telling the prices
    of carriages.  You doubt this is that blue book.  It likely is
    another book that just has a blue cover.

item::leather bound book
    This book is bound with a rich leather.  It has been embossed to
    suggest dragonhide, but you have doubts it is actually anything so
    exotic.

item::blood-stained book
    Old dried blood, more brown than black, coats every page of this
    book.

item::gilded book
    At first you are excited at the golden book, but on lifting it
    becomes clear it is merely gilt with a thin layer of gold leaf,
    and is not actually solid gold.

item::spellbook of Magic Missile
    Summons a missile of pure force that moves unerringly to a foe,
    hopefully damaging them.

item::spellbook of Force Bolt
    Creates a bolt of pure force that can knock back creatures and
    smash doors.

item::spellbook of Disintegrate
    A dread spell that summons sovereign acid from the relevant plane.
    It can dissolve almost anything so should be used with care.

item::spellbook of Ice Wall
    Creates a wall of ice.  Effective at separating you from your
    foes.  Unless they are red dragons.  Then they will either bash or
    melt it at their whim.  Forming the ice where a creature resides
    will damage them and knock them back.

item::spellbook of Colour Spray
    A sphere of vibrant swirling colours blasts forth in your chosen
    direction.  Each creature will be affected by a random colour,
    both harming them and making them susceptible to follow up
    attacks.

item::spellbook of Cure
    Poison is rampant in the tower, so it is imperative you have
    a way to deal with it.  This spell will both purge any existing
    poisons and also act as a prophylactic in reduce harm of future
    poisons.

item::spellbook of Sleep
    Hypnotic rays will be sent from your location.  Weak willed
    creatures that you can overpower will be sent into a deep sleep.
    You may then use that as an opportunity to escape.  Or take a
    free swing.

item::spellbook of Lightning
    A powerful blast of lightning can be sent down the hallway,
    zapping creatures in its path.

item::spellbook of Shock
    A ring of electricity jumps out from you in all directions.  This
    both shocks your foes, but the blast to their nervous system will
    also slow them down.

item::spellbook of Poison Cloud
    Conjures a cloud of poison that affects all creatures within it.
    Be careful when aiming to generate the cloud far enough from
    you that you are not also a victim.

item::spellbook of Fireball
    A fearsome ball of flame erupts at your command.  Be careful in
    your positioning or you may find yourself in the flame.

item::spellbook of Teleport
    By precisely adjusting the surrounding molecules of the target,
    one can make them equivalent up to one part in 10^24 to another
    region. With that synchronicity achieved, the two locations are
    indistinguishable and it is merely a matter of collapsing the
    function to leave the target in a new location.

    Unfortunately, selecting where it goes isn't part of this spell.

item::spellbook of Tidal Wave
    Let lesser wizards use portals to reach items on high shelves; you
    know the true worth is to abuse gravitational gradients.

    Opening a portal a kilometer under the sea produces a violent wave
    of water that clears the path in front of you.

item::ruby ring
    A copper ring with a well-cut ruby glittering in the setting.

item::sapphire ring
    A brilliant blue saphire adorns this ring.  You wonder briefly
    if Ba'zlbub cast his spell on this gem, for you seem to have great
    difficulty in spelling it properly.

item::gold ring
    A plain gold ring, fortuitously already sized to one of your fingers.
    With the current price of gold, you'd hate to have to pay for a resizing!

item::amethyst ring
    A wondrous purple amethyst is the center piece of this ring.  You wonder
    if this world still considers amethyst a precious stone, as its beauty
    deserves, or if the cold calculating hand of macroeconomics has reduced it
    to mere semi-precious stature?

item::diamond ring
    This ring is studded with small, but well cut, diamonds.  Perfect
    for scratching glass, so something to be careful of.

item::ring of acid resist
    This ring has a rather basic design which would be rejected by
    a discerning fashionista.  But that is just the thing to fend off
    acids!

item::ring of ice resist
    The ring emits a warm glow that keeps your fingers and toes toasty
    even in the worst winter weather.

item::ring of fire resist
    A slight chill from the ring alerts you that it is hungry for heat
    and will redirect fire to itself, reducing the amount that
    scorches you.

item::ring of poison resist
    This ring chaffs at your finger, but does so as it is continuously
    injecting the chemicals required to mitigate the effect of poison.

item::ring of shock resist
    The rubber ring proves its insulating properties by grounding you
    from electric shocks.  Okay, that is a contradiction in effects,
    but magic is always a balance of antipathy and sympathy.  If it
    were logical, it wouldn't be magic!

item::heart of Baezl'bub
    The ice cold blackened heart of the demon that guarded the
    exit of the tower.  No doubt this is an important quest item,
    you look forward to getting a good price for it on the market
    when you return to the city.

item::Midas Wand
    The story is told that King Midas was cursed with a touch that
    changed all to gold.  In truth he was not so foolish, but had
    imbued his goldifying ability on this wand.  A simple application
    of this wand to an item converts its material properties to that
    of the most noble element: gold!

item::Orb of Knowledge
    This dark crystal sphere's smoky depths draw your eye.  You feel
    a frisson of fear, will you be able to look away once you've seen
    what it has to tell?  It matters not.  You must know!

item::Cloak of Steel
    An unassuming green cloak.  You recognize the pattern from the
    ancient texts, however.  When worn this cloak will protect you
    from all damage!

item::corpse
    The crumpled remains of a vanquished foe.  Might be good eating
    on this, if you were hungry enough.

item::body
    Your eyes blur, tears springing unbidden.  Let not this sacrifice
    be in vain!

death::Another Chance
    As $(MOB) falls to the ground, dead, they begin to glow from within.
    The glow brightens and envelopes them.  When it recedes, they have
    been restored to full health and are ready to continue on the quest.

mob::you
    You are one of the three companions who each decided to head to
    your chosen quest.  It seems, however, something odd has happened
    where your quests are intertwined...

mob::rat
    The cowardly rat scurries away from you.  Pesky nuisances,
    you should corner it and dispatch it.  After all, how dangerous
    could a cornered rat be?

mob::bat
    A bat flutters quietly past you, betraying its presence by
    flickering in the light.  Your hearing is not keen enough to
    hear its cries of echolocation.  You have heard of caves so full
    of bats that they form a dense cloud when they leave at night.
    The sinuous aerial pattern is strikingly similar to a dragon.
    At least for those that have not seen a real dragon.

mob::vampire bat
    For obligatory blood suckers, the vampire bat is a surprisingly
    pro-social creature.  They will provide blood to their cavern
    mates if they are unable to hunt themselves.  You just wish it
    wasn't your blood being harvested.

mob::tridude
    A three legged green alien stares at you from its top mounted
    triplex of eyes.  You cannot discern the alien intent behind its
    non-expression; but experience suggests it does not plan on being
    your friend.

mob::imp
    This small creature of hell has wandered onto the mortal plane to plague
    the living.  It is best to quickly send it back where it came from, but
    care should be taken about its tendency to throw fire.

mob::devil
    Mid-ranked devils are known to leave their private hells to visit our realm
    to gain practice tormenting the living.  Rather unfair, as they will have
    enough time to torment their victims after their death, there is no reason
    for them to hasten the inevitable process.

mob::dog
    In another circumstance this would be a waggy-tailed companion.
    But in these circumstances, it has rightly recognized you as an
    intruder and is rushing to attack.

mob::guard dog
    A powerfully built dog that has been trained to guard valuables
    from thieves such as yourself.  You wish it were less well-trained
    so you could play a game of fetch rather than a battle to the
    death.

mob::wolf
    A full grown wolf patrols the halls.  This seems a risky choice of
    guard dog.  While the wolf is undoubtedly more powerful than its
    tamed canine cousins; it is not by any stretch domesticated.

mob::ice wolf
    From the frozen plains of the north come these white wolves.
    They are not feared only for their powerful bite; but for their
    ability to breathe a freezing cloud of ice.

mob::servant
    A poorly paid servant.  Definitely not paid well enough to stand
    between you and your thieving.

mob::guard
    A poorly paid guard.  Ideally you can catch them napping; but if
    they do see you they are sadly not willing to turn a blind eye to
    your presence.

mob::archer
    A guard equipped with some ranged weapons to attack you from afar.
    Quite unfair really; that was your plan!

mob::thief
    Why go to the work of hunting down and killing foes for loot?  
    Instead you can wait for the hunters to return and take the loot 
    directly from them!  Such thoughts motivate the common thief who
    prowls adventuring locations looking for easy marks.

mob::assassin
    Trained in a secret mountain retreat, the assassin is hired to
    take out important foes.  You feel a bit honoured that you are
    worthy of such targeted attacks.

mob::sergeant
    Unlike commissioned officers that acquire their rank via birth or
    patronage, the sergeant has worked their way by merit.  They are
    not to be trifled with.

mob::captain
    A fool would discount this captain, judging their excessively prim
    and proper costume to be a sign of weakness.  But they are not
    some fresh-faced lieutenant straight from the academy - one glance
    at their eyes shows that they have seen death.  And another glance
    shows they intend to see your death.

mob::elite guard
    The most elite of guards are drawn from foreign services.  Any
    local guard would be subject to local political pressures.  But
    these highly trained mercenaries are loyal to gold.  And not their
    own gold, which could be outbid, but the gold sent to their
    homeland, who has a vested interest in their guards being seen as
    incorruptible.

mob::slug
    An impressive specimen of Pulmonata faces you.  Don't let its
    squishy exterior fool you, slugs possess sharp teeth on their
    rasp like tongues.  It can scrap your face off your skull as
    easily as it can algae from a rock.

mob::acid slug
    The very rocks the slug slimes across hiss and vaporise with the
    intensity of the slugs acid.  It is known slugs hate snails for
    their shells, but to go to such lengths to reject calcium
    carbonate?  This slug is committed to its bit.

mob::death slug
    Legends abound of these purple monstrosities.  Possessing a
    long unicorn-like horn that they use to inject their acid
    directly into their prey, these slugs have well earned their
    "death" moniker.

    Under no circumstances should you mistake them for a worm.

mob::skeleton
    A collection of bones of a humanoid of uncertain species or
    gender.  They are not lying in a grave as they should be, however,
    but have been animated by some foul magic.  Ending their travesty
    of existence is likely a good thing.

mob::zombie
    The shambling corpse that stumbles towards you reeks of 
    putrefaction.  If not for the vile magic driving it on
    it would well on its way to become worm food.  It is left to
    you to restart the proper process of decomposition.

mob::ghost
    A chill in the air alerts you that something is wrong.  A
    restless spirit that has refused to move on haunts this floor.
    Perhaps a previous adventurer that was not as skilled as you?
    In any case, your task is to help it move on.

mob::kobold
    A dog-sized humanoid with purple fur; the kobold would
    be an endearing companion if not for their tendency to
    kill you.  Be careful what you let them gain access to, for
    they will turn it against you.

mob::kobold thief
    Most kobolds operate under a strict code of honour.  They will
    happily loot your corpse, but while you still breathe they
    consider your possessions inviolate.   Kobold thieves betray these
    principles.  So keep track of your fingers or you may find even
    they have been spirited off by these rogues.

mob::orc
    In civilized parts of the world it is recognized that friction
    with orcish tribes is not inevitable.  With proper diplomacy
    bridges can be built between them and the surrounding villages,
    resulting in peace and even profitable trade.

    But when you encounter one charging to you in dark corridors; I
    suggest you seek a less diplomatic solution to your differences.

mob::troll
    You aren't sure why this troll decided to inhabit this floor.  
    It isn't very bridge-like after all.  But you will have to deal
    with its sharp claws if you are to get past it.  Of course, the
    hardest part of dealing with trolls is getting them to stay down.

mob::vampire
    The dark cloak designed to contrast with their pale skin; the
    vampire makes its nature known.  You aren't sure who invited it
    into this area, but you know who will have to escort it out.
    Be wary, for every bite it takes of you makes it stronger.

mob::giant
    It is a bit unimaginative to refer to a giant humanoid as "giant".
    But then giants are not well renowned for their imagination.
    This giant barely fits through corridors, and that is not counting
    the giant boulders it lugs after itself.  It would be laughable if
    not for the tendency of them to throw the boulders at you.

mob::white dragon
    A cold mist enshrouds this dragon, crystalizing on its scales
    forming impressive fractal patterns.  You could watch it all day.
    And if it succeeds in freezing you into an ice cube, you may very
    well get the opportunity.

mob::black dragon
    The black dragon slides softly through the hallways seeking prey.
    It is an ambush hunter and wants to be close before it dissolves
    its chosen meal.

mob::blue dragon
    Put away tales of Skie, you will not be riding this dragon!  It
    looks very irate to have located a trespasser and if
    you do not step quickly, you may get a chance to re-charge.

mob::red dragon
    Deep crimson scales adorn this dragon.  Even from a distance you
    can feel the heat radiating from its body.  Normally one would
    keep ones distance; but if you can see it; it probably is too
    late.

mob::green dragon
    A thick drool drips from the mouth of the green dragon.  When it
    contacts the wooden floor, the boards rot under the influence of
    the poison.  If that poison does that to dead wood, just imagine
    the effect when injected into a living being?  No need to imagine.
    Allow the green dragon to approach and you will gain first hand
    knowledge.

mob::grid bug
    *KZAPP* goes a the grid bug.  Sparking currents of electricity
    assemble themselves into these life-like creatures.  Not much is
    known about their ecology.  One unusual feature is that they must
    remain aligned with the magnetic poles, prohibiting motion other
    than in the cardinal directions.

mob::cave spider
    A spider the size of a large cat scurries across the hallway.
    Many spiders are harmless despite their toxic venom for they lack
    sufficiently strong fangs to pierce skin.  This spider does not
    look like it would have that problem.

mob::fire ant
    Some fire ants are named that because their bite triggers a
    painful reaction that feels like burning.  These fire ants are
    named that because they will burn you. Their mandibles are coated
    with pyrophoric substances that ignite into flame on contact.
    Vinegar is not going to do much of a good on these burns!

mob::giant spider
    The clicking of chiton on wood warns you of an approaching
    arthropod.  You had hoped another fire ant or cave spider.  But
    the reverberations make it clear it is bigger.  Much bigger.

mob::Beezlbub
    Baez'lbub is most famous for casting a spell to make him
    impervious to magic.  It was not quite successful, and just made
    him impervious to spelling, so no one, not even the demon himself,
    can spell Bae'zlbub's name correctly.

