Loresinging

Loresinging is a bardic ability allowing a singer to divine the properties of an item with the sound of his voice. An item may simply tell its properties while another will have a specific story attached to it that can only be observed through a bard, often called a loresong itself due to the nature in which the story is revealed.

Different items have different amounts of difficulty to obtain the information from. In order to increase a loresong's strength and ability to divine a loresong from an item, various verses and rhyme schemes can be used to obtain the loresong. Specifically, two-line loresongs with no rhymes are less powerful than two-line verses with a rhyme scheme. And, a four-line verse with a rhyme scheme is even more powerful. Rhymes must be words that rhyme by spelling, such as the infamous hand/land rhyme. However, more and floor, though they rhyme when spoken aloud, they do not count as rhymes for the purpose of loresongs.

Additionally, if certain keywords are used (value, weight, purpose, skill [only for weapons/armor], spell, and ability) in a loresong, one can obtain specific bits of information from the item.

When loresinging to a magical or enhancive item, a bard may determine whether or not the item will be destroyed when its last magical or enhancive charge has been expended.

When singing to a piece of armor with resistance to a damage type, a proper loresong will tell the level of resistance.

Fully loresinging an item (revealing all verses) will permanently unlock the loresong so anyone can RECALL it.

Mechanics

LORESING (verb)

Usage

Usage:
    LORESING [:{tone}] [::{target}] {message}  - Loresing a message [with a tone] [to a target]

For a full list of tones, see SONG LIST.

You may loresing multiple lines by separating each one with a semicolon.
  EXAMPLE: LORESING Jori says she hears the birds;When I can't hear a thing,;Jori whistles like a robin,;I can only sing.

When LORESINGing, you will use whatever language you are currently SPEAKing.

Syntax

To loresing, use the verb LORESING followed by your song, with lines separated by semi-colons.

J>loresing staff of ebonwood now for another scrap of doggerel song,;Share with us that ability ere the night grows long
You sing sonorously:

    "Staff of ebonwood now for another scrap of doggerel song,
     Share with us that ability ere the night grows long"


Roundtime: 18 sec.

As you sing, you feel a faint resonating vibration from the ebonwood staff in your hand...

In addition to standard loresinging, it is also possible to sing to non-held items in the same room. The purpose of this is generally to reveal a loresong. To loresing to an item not held in your hand, use the targeting syntax LORESING ::itemname. There are many examples of such items in the Museums in Wehnimer's Landing and River's Rest, as well as scattered in other areas of the game.

Order

The response message from successful attempts will reveal information in a specific order if one does not use a keyword.

First verse

The weight and value of the item, in addition to the difficulty rating for weapons and armor with Enchanting and Ensorcelling.

Second verse

The purpose of the item

Third verse

If the item is a weapon/armor type then it will reveal the skill required to use and enchant bonus of the item.

If the item is a magic type then it will say which spell and how many charges left.

If the item is enhancive, it will tell what it enhances and the level requirements but not the specific amount of the boosts.

The keyword enhance will work for both types.

Fourth verse

Consists of the special ability section. Enhancive details, spells, weapon flares, reimbeddable status, crumbly status, temporary bless, and other odd information will be found here.

Keywords

• Using keywords such as value, weight, purpose, skill [only for weapons/armor] or enhance, spell, and ability will skip to that verse directly.
• The bard may continue loresinging without using a keyword to continue to the next verse in order.

For example: if loresinging to a weapon, skipping to the third verse by using the keyword skill. Then if the next song you use contains no keywords, it will respond with the fourth verse (the ability line).

• The bard may jump to any verse including a lower level one

For example: if the bard is on the second verse and uses the keyword value in the next song then it will jump back to the first verse.

• Skipping to a higher level verse is more difficult than a lower level.

This means that getting the fourth verse by using the ability keyword often fails for inexperienced bards. A lower level bard would likely be more successful to skip to the third phrase using a keyword then continue with a normal song without keywords to get the last verse.

• It is important to note that magic is NOT a keyword. It does not allow one to skip to the third verse. It would be the same as using a song without a keyword

Failure

A failed verse may occur for several reasons and there are failsafe practices for working around failed verses:

• Insufficient mana will result in a failed loresong progression (with no risk of injury).
• Repetition of a particular keyword twice in a row will end a loresong progression.
• All information available to the bard has already been determined will result in a failed verse.
• To avoid failures, one can alternate between two different songs (without keywords) until a response is received from the item.
• In order to restart a loresong progression, one must reset the status by either singing to a new item or try to use a simple keyword like value.]
• You can clear the loresong progression with the command: STOP LORESONG
• Note that no roundtime will be incurred for a failed loresong verse.

There are three messages which can arise as a result of a failed loresong. Examples are as follows:

• Insufficient mana: Your song is weak, and without sufficient power to affect the pearl.
• No additional properties: You learn nothing new about the pendant.
• Item in wrong hand or misspelled item name: As you sing, you feel a faint stirring in your <item name> that fades, as if your song had somehow failed to resonate with it properly.

Roundtime

Roundtime for each verse of loresinging can vary from 5 seconds to 15 seconds for typical items. The roundtime is determined on a verse-by-verse basis. A couplet method, using two lines, will generally produce shorter roundtimes than the progressive method (where the singer repeats previous lines and adds a new one at the end for eachsubsequent verse). Custom loresongs may have their own roundtimes which are higher than normal items. Refer to Talk:Loresinging for research on how the number of words used and word length may contribute.

Example Messaging

Loresongs provide a wide variety of messaging for items. Beyond the basic properties of an item (such as weight, enchant bonus, or value), items may be identified as possessing a special ability, as imbeds (either blank, or already containing a spell), or enhancive properties. Some of that messaging is provided below:

Imbed items

Such items can be found blank (and able to be imbedded with a new spell), already containing a spell, or even rechargeable.

• Blank rechargeable (second verse):

You sense a faint aura of magic around the pink dreamstone brooch. You also feel a faint drawing sensation from it, as though it may be able to hold more power. From the pitch of the vibration you determine that the purpose of the brooch is to cast a spell or perform some magical purpose.

• Rechargeable item (second verse):

You sense a faint aura of magic around the grey granite bracer. You also feel a faint drawing sensation from it, as though when its charge is depleted, it may be refilled. From the pitch of the vibration you determine that the purpose of the bracer is to cast a spell or perform some magical purpose.

• Blank imbeddable (third verse):

From the rapid vibrations of the pink dreamstone brooch, you determine it has no spell within it now, but could be imbedded with one, in the proper hands. You estimate that it can contain an ample amount of mana.

• Reimbeddable item (fourth verse):

The magical strength of this item is strong. It could probably handle the imbedding of an entirely new spell, if handled with care.

• Crumbly imbed (fourth verse):

You sense that the black fel wand will disintegrate after its last magical charge has been expended.

• Non-Crumbly imbed (fourth verse):

You sense that the thick ironwood rod will persist after its last magical charge has been expended.

Weapon/Armor Abilities

Typically, special abilities possessed by weapons and armor are permanent though some forms of weighting, padding and resistance may be temporary. These abilities are unique to arms and armor, are not part of the enhancive system, and can not be recharged at the Adventurer's Guild. However, weapons and armor may have traditional enhancive properties as well.

• Gear point/difficulty rating for Enchanting and Ensorcelling (first verse):

Though you don't yet have a full understanding of the staff's qualities, you get the impression it would be a tricky project (477 penalty) for an adventurer to modify.

• Special ability, temporary (second verse):

It also appears to have a temporary modification of some kind.

• Special ability (third verse):

It also has some type of special ability, but you can't tell what yet.

• Bane weapon: Note: Refer to the Bane page for additional information on bane types, of which there are many.

Second verse: A sense of deep seated hatred clings to the <item>, as if it had been crafted with a specific purpose.

Third verse: This <weapon> seems to be the bane of <type> creatures.

Fourth verse: provides characteristic of the bane bonus, such as "additional offensive bonus of +10 when employed against all undead creatures" for a weapon that imparts +10 on attacks to undead.

• Bless:

Second Verse: You sense that this is some type of holy item.

Third verse of Bless (304) cast by a Cleric with Holy Water Flares: It also has some type of special ability, but you can't tell what yet.

Third verse of regular bless or a Voln bless: It also has many more uses of some kind of special ability.

Fourth verse: The harmonics generated tell you that the (item) has been temporarily blessed to help fight the undead.

Note: LOOKing at the item will display: A faint aura of holy light radiates from the (item).

• Ensorcellment:

Second Verse: ...shrouded with a haze of necrosis around the <item>

Fourth Verse: A strange necrotic haze sours your melody slightly, indicating that <Sorcerer> has infused the armor with the second tier of permanent Ensorcellment.

• Defensive bonus:: The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> helps defend the one who wields it by granting +xx Defensive Bonus.

Flares

Fourth Verse of the item's Loresong:

TYPE	MESSAGE
Acid	It has been infused with the power of a corrosive substance.
Acuity	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> allows a caster to occasionally focus their magical prowess for a single cast.
Air (temporary, from EBlade)	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been temporarily infused with elemental air.
Cold	It has been infused with the power of an ice elemental.
Cold (temporary from EBlade)	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been temporarily infused with elemental cold.
Disintegration	It has been infused with a disintegrating substance.
Dispel	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been infused with the power of a strange anti-magical substance.
Disruption	It has been infused with a disrupting substance.
Earth	It has been infused with the power of an earth elemental.
Earth (temporary, EBlade)	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been temporarily infused with elemental earth.
Fire	It has been infused with the power of a fire elemental.
Fire (temporary, from EBlade)	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been temporarily infused with elemental fire.
Firewheel	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> inflicts more fearsome wounds when it strikes.
Grapple	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been infused with a grappling force.
Guiding Light	It has been temporarily infused with a divine flaming substance.
Lightning	It has been infused with the power of a lightning bolt.
Lightning (temporary)	It has been temporarily infused with lightning.
Lightning (temporary, from EBlade)	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been temporarily infused with lightning.
Magma	It has been infused with molten substance.
Mana	It has been infused with mana.
Plasma	It has been infused with the power of a flaming substance. or The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been infused with a flaming substance.
Steam	It has been infused with a steaming substance.
TD	Protects against magical attacks.
Vacuum/Void	It has been infused with a dark substance. or It has been infused with the power of a dark substance.
Terror	It has been infused with the substance of pure terror.
Water	It has been infused with the power of a water elemental.
Xazkruvrixis	The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been infused with death.

• Offensive bonus The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> serves to increase the efficiency of attacks by granting +xx Attack Strength.
• Paladin Bonded Weapon (4th verse): The <item> has been bound to <XXX> via the spell Sanctify. The mace hums clearly, indicating that the restriction's conditions are as follows: This item is restricted to use by PERSON.
• Ranger Resistance: Armor treated by a ranger may have a slightly misleading loresong. The value may be high (first verse) and there will be no explicit mention of the resistance being temporary in the third and fourth verses. However, ranger-applied resistance will give the ranger's name in the fourth verse:

A strong thread of wild magic hums in response to your song, and you sense that the cold resistance (25%) was imbued into the ruby-trimmed leathers by RangerName.

When in doubt, find a ranger to ASSESS the armor to determine its status.

• Returner:

Second verse: The <weapon> is obviously a weapon built for combat. It emanates magic.

Third verse: The <weapon> has an enchantment of <value>. Its magic appears to be of the ARMS realm.

Fourth verse: You sense that the <weapon> may return to its wielder when forced from her hand.

Note, this item script masks other special abilities.

• Realm flare (first verse): You sense rare, wild magics in the weapon, magics that are tied in some elemental fashion to time and place.

Note, you must sheathe and unsheathe the weapon first for Realm Flaring weapons to get an accurate result in the fourth verse. Refer to Realm Flare page for more information.

• Sanctified::

Second Verse: You sense that this is some type of holy item.

Third Verse: It also has some type of special ability, but you can't tell what yet.

Fourth verse: The harmonics generated tell you that the <item> has been sanctified for use by a Cleric or Paladin in the fight against the undead.

• Sighting: The harmonics generated tell you that the <weapon> assists its bearer with aiming attacks at range.
• Warrior Armor Fittings: will show the protection type along with an estimation on their remaining usage in the fourth verse (note, this is unique from naturally occurring or ranger resistances mentioned above):

As your song penetrates the <armor>, you determine that it is moderately resistant (10%) to <damage type> attacks.

The notes of your song snag briefly on some custom fittings, and you sense that the <damage type> resistance (10%) was fitted onto the <armor> by WarriorName. You gauge that the fittings have quite a lot of wear and tear remaining to them.

Weighting and Padding

Fourth Verse:

TYPE	SUBTYPE	MESSAGE
Padding, temporary	Critical	The harmonics generated tell you that the <armor> temporarily serves to reduce the severity of inflicted wounds.
Padding, temporary	Damage	The harmonics generated tell you that the <armor> temporarily serves to protect from additional damage.
Padding	Critical	The harmonics generated tell you that the <armor> serves to reduce the severity of inflicted wounds.
Padding	Damage	The harmonics generated tell you that the <armor> serves to protect from additional damage.
Weighting	Critical	The harmonics generated tell you that the <weapon> inflicts more fearsome wounds when it strikes.
Weighting	Damage	The harmonics generated tell you that the <weapon> does extra damage when it strikes.
Weighting (temporary)	Critical	The harmonics generated tell you that the <weapon> temporarily inflicts more fearsome wounds when it strikes.
Weighting (temporary)	Damage	The harmonics generated tell you that the <weapon> temporarily does extra damage when it strikes.

Additionally for temporary enhancement, the following message is given about the number of uses (and the last line indicates which ability it is for, WPS or resist):

The <armor> resonates with your voice, revealing some details of its temporary enhancement:

The <armor> 's enhancement will degrade when the wearer is struck in combat.

It should be able to withstand an incredible amount of uses before its enhancement has completely degraded away.

When its enhancement has degraded away, the item will lose its ability to grant greater protection.

Player-Forged Weapons

Weapons created by the forging artisan skill yield special messaging which reveals the quality of the forging of the item in the third verse. The loresong will also reveal the fact that the item was player-forged (though this information is already available via the crafter's mark in the SHOW description of the item).

• Player-forged (second verse):

It has been forged by a member of the Artisan's Guild.

• Elegant-quality (third verse):

The handaxe has a lightly increased effectiveness in combat.

• Superior-quality (third verse):

The maul has a moderately increased effectiveness in combat.

• Perfect-quality (third verse):

The dagger has a significantly increased effectiveness in combat.

Enhancive Items

Items with enhancive properties have messaging in several phases of the loresong. The second verse provides a simple indicator of whether or not the item is enhancive. The third verse provides a vague description of the properties. The fourth verse contains complete information about the enhancive properties (and if complete, renders the third verse irrelevant). The tiered messaging may be valuable to lower level bards who are unable to extract the full properties of the item in the fourth verse. The third and fourth verse may also provide information about racial, skill, societal, or character restrictions placed on the item.

• Enhancive (second verse):

Also, it seems to have some sort of enhancive properties.

• Properties, vague (third verse):

The bracer resonates with your voice, indicating that it enhances its owner in the following ways:

It provides a boost to Agility.

This enhancement may not be used by adventurers who have not trained 36 times.

It provides a boost to Aura.

This enhancement may not be used by adventurers who have not trained 20 times.

It provides a boost to Mana Recovery.

This enhancement may not be used by adventurers who have not trained 10 times.

You think that you could probably find out something more about the pendant's enhancive properties if you tried.

• Properties, complete (fourth verse):

The bracer resonates with your voice, indicating that it enhances its owner in the following ways:

It provides a boost of 8 to Agility.

This enhancement may not be used by adventurers who have not trained 36 times.

It provides a boost of 4 to Aura Bonus.

This enhancement may not be used by adventurers who have not trained 20 times.

It provides a boost of 2 to Mana Recovery.

This enhancement may not be used by adventurers who have not trained 10 times.

The bracer looks to have a lot of charges remaining.

• Persistence (fourth verse):

You sense that the aquamarine bracer will crumble into dust after its last enhancive charge has been expended.

You sense that the composite bow will persist after its last enhancive charge has been expended.

• Restriction (third/fourth verse):

This enhancive item may not be used by the following professions: Warrior Rogue Wizard Cleric Empath Sorcerer Ranger Monk Paladin Savant.

This enhancement cannot be used by adventurers without at least a moderate amount of skill in Brawling.

This enhancive item may not be used by the following races: Human Giantman Half-Elf Sylvankind Dark Elf Dwarf Halfling Forest Gnome Burghal Gnome Half-Krolvin Erithian Aelotoi.

Some bronze leg greaves inset with hammered copper discs can only be used by a Master of the Guardians of Sunfist.

This item is restricted to use by an adventurer you can't quite determine.

This item is restricted to use by Oweodry.

• Out of Enhancive Charges (third/fourth verse):

This item doesn't seem to do anything! (third verse)

The item doesn't seem to do anything! The <item name> seems to be out of charges. (fourth verse)

Special Note on Enhancive Properties

It provides a boost of 8 to Agility.

This enhancement is to the BASE STAT.

It provides a boost of 4 to Aura Bonus.

This enhancement is to the STAT BONUS.

For every 1 point of STAT BONUS it adds 2 points to the BASE STAT.

The 4 to Aura Bonus listed above would provide 8 to the BASE STAT.

Fusion Gear

• Fusion Gear with empty sockets (third verse):

The runestaff resonates with your voice, indicating that it enhances its owner in the following ways:

This item doesn't seem to do anything!

You think that you could probably find out something more about the runestaff's enhancive properties if you tried.

• Fusion gear with empty sockets (fourth verse):

The runestaff resonates with your voice, indicating that it enhances its owner in the following ways:

The item doesn't seem to do anything!

The runestaff seems to be out of charges.

Purified Gems

Gems which have been purified through Purification Song (1004) may turn into orb gems (for the purpose of charging items or creating chrisms) or become rechargeable imbeds.

• Orb gem (second verse):

From the pitch of the vibration you determine that the purpose of the glimaerstone is as a gem of some kind. As you sing, the glimaerstone seems to resonate with your voice, and you feel it trying to draw power from you.

• Mage rechargeable (second verse):

From the pitch of the vibration you determine that the purpose of the emerald is as a gem of some kind. As you sing, the emerald seems to resonate with your voice, and you feel it trying to draw power from you. It pulses strongly with the rhythm of your words.

Magic Resistance

Items which cannot have magic cast at them (material limits, or item limits) will tell you they are magic resistant in the second verse: You sense the item has some sort of magic resistance. To avoid confusion, this is not the same as a Target Defense Magic Resistance at all. TD in items will sing how much is on the item, with it's own specific wording in other verses.

Magic Resistance is an on/off thing. There are no other values to it. It can be because of the material something is made of (veil iron, for instance), enhancives, and random other items which are combat gear or not. Things which have this loresong line in them cannot be enchanted, ensorcelled, they cannot even have elemental detect used on them.

Treasure Boxes

Boxes found in the treasure system yield special messaging which reveals the lock difficulty and trap difficulty.

Items Restricted by Character/Account

Items restricted by character or account yield special messaging. An example of this type of item would be a weapon bonded to a Paladin or Warrior.

• 2nd verse: In addition, its use appears to be magically restricted in some way.
• 3rd verse: The ITEM hums clearly, indicating that the item will prevent itself from being used unless the acting party meets certain conditions.
• 4th verse: (The 4th verse will yield more specific information, depending upon the item type.)

Items with Cryptic Messaging

Some items yield vague messaging that only hints the item is special. It does not pinpoint the exact type or special use of the item. Often (but not always), analyzing, inspecting, or looking at these items will yield more information.

An example of this type of item would be a Veola hair accessory:

• 2nd verse: From the pitch of the vibration you determine that the purpose of the tricorn is unusual, but the exact use escapes you.

Another example is a skin/hide, or item made from a skin and then modified (e.g. via GALD, a merchant-created dead animal, Crondi body parts, etc.)

• 2nd verse: From the pitch of the vibration you determine that the purpose of the [item] is as a kind of trophy.

Unlocking Loresongs

Bards have the ability to permanently unlock loresongs, such that non-bards can RECALL the item to view its loresong. This applies to the standard properties exposed by loresinging most items, as well as the special story loresongs that some items possess.

There used to be a temporary unlock that could be turned into a permanent one using a bard's weekly resources, but that was removed when the Song of Luck (1006) service was released and now all loresong unlocks are permanent and require no resource or skill check.

Permanent loresong unlocking allows others to check the detail of their items without the assistance of a bard for the life of the item. This is especially beneficial for:

*  Reviewing custom loresongs
*  Checking the charges on enhancives and x/day imbeddables
*  Tracks stat/skill changes and charges on Adventurer's Guild badges
*  Tracking the progress of Enchanting and Ensorcelling on project pieces, including the difficulty bonus
*  Remembering the type of bane or flare in a pinch
*  Tracking type and estimated level of padding or weighting (requires an assess after unlocking)
*  Determining exact percentages on all types of Resistance
*  Identifying exact weight and capacity
*  Quickly recall the attuned location for unnavable rings
*  Following the weight reduction of a container
* ... all as continued improvements or changes are made to the item in the future.

Additional Information

New properties added to the item after its loresong has been unlocked will be updated and displayed automatically.

When accessed via "RECALL <item> loresong", the loresong information functions exactly as if the bard is loresinging to the item. You will see each verse one at a time and any effects experienced by a bard loresinging the item manually will be experienced by the person accessing the loresong (which may include damage or death for certain rare items).

Using RECALL without adding "loresong" to the end (i.e., RECALL <item>) will show you a summary of all the information with no roundtime.

The loresongs of stationary items cannot be unlocked at this time.

If a non-bard accesses a loresong via RECALL and places it for sale in a player shop, the properties will be revealed as normal.

Resources

• Saved posts
• SERVICE (verb)
• Custom loresong
• A perfectly clear crystal sphere loresong (example)
• The Incredible Music Stand loresong (example)
• Officials folder
• Loresinging Guide for Young Bards
• Previous version of loresinging