Lightening

Lightening is a common merchant service in which excess weight is removed from an item. Players can usually tell if an item is able to be lightened using the ANALYZE verb.

Yes, item can be lightened:

You might be able to have a talented merchant lighten the felt pouch for you or have its pockets deepened.

No, item cannot be lightened:

You can tell that the vestment is as light as it can get and that its pockets could not possibly get any deeper.

*Note: Occasionally an item which yields this message can still be lightened using an Automated Lightening Certificate.

Most items have set standards for how light they are able to get depending on what they are, and, in the case of containers, where they are worn. An item's base material may cause it to start at a higher base weight, but it will be able to be lightened to the lower limit.

Merchants typically lighten items in 10% increments of an item's base weight. Maximum lightness is typically 50% of base weight. Adamantine is an exception, the formula for adamantine's minimum weight is 150% the base weight of steel.

Example

Step	Calculation	Final Weight
Full leathers base weight	N/A	13
Lighten 1	13 - Ceiling(13 * 0.1)	11
Lighten 2	11 - Ceiling(13 * 0.1)	9
Lighten 3	9 - Ceiling(13 * 0.1)	7 [Max light reached]

Containers

Prior to February 2016, containers had to be fully deepened before being lightened in order to maximize the capacity of the container, but that is only the case now if one lightens an item below the minimum weight for the item's set maximum capacity for its worn location. For example, a cloak's minimum weight is 6 lbs for the maximum allowed standard of 140 lbs. If the item is taken to 5 lbs, then the maximum capacity will be lower and, thus, the order matters now only once the minimum weight for maximum capacity is reached. Epic deepening does not have any minimum weight restrictions, and during that service maximum capacity may be taken above the standard maximums.

CLARIFICATION NOTE: Lightening notes, and general lightening merchants, will not lighten a container below the minimum weight for its current capacity. Therefore, if the goal is to achieve the lightest and deepest container then you should fully lighten it before deepening it as deepening notes will exceed the small maximum.

Standard Lightening and Deepening Levels

Worn Location	Minimum Weight (lbs)	Maximum Capacity (lbs)
Cloak & back-worn	6	140
Cloak & back-worn	5	120
Cloak & back-worn	4	90
Shoulder-slung	3	60
All others	2	varies based on location
All others	<1	≤5

Armor

Armor Weights (lbs)

AsG	Name	Base	Minimum
2	Flowing robes	8	4
5	Light leather	10	5
6	Full leather	13	7
7	Reinforced leather	15	8
8	Double leather	16	8
9	Leather breastplate	16	8
10	Cuirbouilli leather	17	9
11	Studded leather	20	10
12	Brigandine armor	25	13
13	Chain mail	25	13
14	Double chain	25	13
15	Augmented chain	26	13
16	Chain hauberk	27	14
17	Metal breastplate	23	12
18	Augmented breastplate	25	13
19	Half plate	50	25
20	Full plate	75	38

Automated Lightening Certificates

At the June 2017 run of Return to Delirium Manor, certificates were introduced to automate the lightening of items. REDEEM the ticket with the item in hand to use. They cannot be used to take an item below its minimum weight. However, sometimes an item whose ANALYZE says the item is "as light as it can get" can still be lightened with a lightening certificate or note.

Most similar lightening notes can be bundled and can form a stack of up to 1000 notes. PULL to remove a single-use note from the stack.

Examples

a light yellow note
>read my note
In the Common language, it reads:
This note can be REDEEMed to reduce an appropriate item's encumbrance by 1 pound.  Most worn containers, armor, and weapons are eligible for this service.

a stack of light yellow notes
>read my note
A stack of light yellow notes has 2 uses.  You can REDEEM this or use PULL to remove a single-use note.

Note	Lightening Amount
a glimmering silver note (jackpot)	10 lbs
a hazy white note (jackpot)	5 lbs
a deep black note	3 lbs
a bright orange note	2 lbs
a light yellow note	1 lb
a hazy ebon note (account bound)	1 lb

Denied Scripts

The following list is provided by GM Haliste. Do not request these items for the certificates again; they are denied for both lightening and deepening, as applicable. The "Clarifying Description" column is a simple description of the item, in case the GM name is different from how players refer to it, or the item does not have its own page. All other items the certificates do not work with can be BUGITEMed (the item, not the certificate) to request review.

Item (GM Name)	Clarifying Description
Armor concealing garments
BodiceBlades	Vanishing Point
Disarming Kits	Locksmith's toolkit
Dwarffest shields	Shields with built-in sheaths
Feature concealers (pin worn)
Gem-eater Eisenrucks
Morphing containers	Containers with different "sides" that have to be lightened/deepened individually
SimpleBooks	Books with a pocket
Smuggling sacks
SwordBelts	Dual-scabbard two weapon sword belt
Toasting Steins
Weight reducing containers	Takes a % of encumbrance off the contents
WoundedWear
Magical armoire
FireworksPress
DollTrunk
SnowPouch
Gemcutter
FancySheath
GearLabel Box
JewelryBox
Treasure System Containers	Treasure system boxes. Clothing works fine
UAC (Handwrap/Footwrap) Gear
DaggerHarness EG05
JewelryBox (Spitfire)
FancyBooks
The Ribbonator
WandsOnly
FoldingChair
Wavedancer (Tintrel) Towels
Mechanical Cartridge Vambraces
Cigar Slings

See Also

• Deepening
• GALD
• Saved posts