Beginner's guide to Ta'Vaalor
The following is a reformatted version of the Mentor's Getting Started Guide for Ta'Vaalor as provided by GameMaster Haliste. Information on Wehnimer's Landing may be read here, while getting started in Icemule Trace may be read here.
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Welcome to Ta'Vaalor
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How Do I Start Out?
Hail, good citizen, and welcome to Ta'Vaalor, the military fortress of the Elven Nations.
You have in your possession some basic equipment and silvers for starting out. This is a loan, and your debt needs to be paid back to the clerk in Wyvern Keep once you are earning a living.
To get started, it is best to acquaint yourself with the city by walking around and visiting all the establishments. Be sure to go inside each one to learn to your fullest advantage. But, be careful not to go through any town gates or grates without being able to defend yourself properly! (See below for more information on combat.) After visiting all the sites in the fortress by following DIRections, you'll have learned enough to advance to your first training.
Be sure to let your personality (be it grumpy, happy, moody, honorable, etc.) shine through while interacting with others you meet in Ta'Vaalor. Save your attacks for the creatures out in the wilds and not our merchants, citizens, and local pets; otherwise, you may find yourself in jail.
If you have any questions about what to do next, it is best to WHISPER to another person nearby. Ask them about deeds, maps, training, or even free drinks. In addition, mentors can be found by ringing the bell at Silverwood Manor, located on the west side of the city. Be patient as they may not be able to answer the bell right away, but they are here to help new adventurers get started and may even have a better weapon or some clothes for you.
The Local Inns/City Hall
Two local inns are available in Ta'Vaalor, at which adventurers may train. You can also find tables to rest or socialize with friends or even find a private room where you can lock uninvited guests out.
On the southwest side of town is Malwith's Inn. To train, find Malwith himself and CHECK IN. To the east, you will find a bar, a buffet, and cozy tables. Casu's Coffee has a generous supply of tea leaves and condiments, and Casu's Cafe has a public stove suitable for brewing your own concoctions. Upstairs, you will find a conference room for meetings and other rooms to enjoy. All in all, it's a quaint area, perfect for spending a quiet afternoon reflecting on your life GOALS.
On the north side of town is The Legendary Rest. You can check in with Rouschall when you want to train. If you go through the double doors and find Coleesta, his wife, you can rest at the tables, order some food or drinks, or just enjoy the courtyard and its beautiful fountain. It is possible to converse with some of our merchants. ASK them about their food or each other, for example. Feel free to wander around and see the decor in this splendid building.
Also on the north side of town is our city hall, Wyvern Keep. Through the arch, you can find the clerk to pay your debts; just PAY the amount to the CLERK. If you have forgotten how much your debt is, just check your SILVER. To the east and through the arch, you will find a scar-faced clerk. She is responsible for maintaining and updating residents' and visitors' identification papers. You will need to update these each month, so that the gate guards won't question your presence and delay your travels. These papers will also allow you to merchant (buy/sell) at the local shops.
You can find public storage lockers south of the entrance and through the curtains. Lockers aren't free, though, so you will need to make sure that the debt doesn't sneak up on you.
Ye Olde Hunting Grounds
Before you venture into the hunting areas, be sure to equip yourself. Get your weapon out first, to make sure it is in your right hand, and then remove your shield from your shoulder to place it in your left hand. (You can always SWAP, if necessary.) Let others know where you will be hunting, so they can find you should you meet an untimely death. While roaming around, keep yourself in a defensive STANCE. When you are ready to ATTACK a beast, change your posture to advanced or offensive. After killing the beast, be sure to SKIN and SEARCH it, though not all creatures have outer coverings or body parts suitable for removing. When you are fortunate enough to do this successfully, they can be sold to the furrier for silvers.
In addition, some creatures give you silvers or other treasure when you search them. To be safe, make it a habit to return to a defensive stance after searching your creatures, as standing in the wilds in an offensive position will lessen your defenses greatly and make you an easy target.
The best place to start patrolling in Ta'Vaalor is in the sewers beneath the city. To get there, climb down the grate on the west side of town. Fanged rodents have made the sewers their home and are frequently in need of extermination. But, if you see another hunter attacking one, do not automatically start attacking their vermin. You might ask if you can join him or her and make a new friend, however. Making friends for group hunting can be one of your best experiences in Elanthia. It's always safer to hunt with a partner, in case you happen to fall to a critter.
Once you have mastered the art of rodent extermination, Barefoot Hill would be the next logical area to visit, with its infestation of fire ants. Look for a shady path just outside Victory Gate. If you are feeling strong, you might venture down Victory Road and try your skill with thyrils and young grass snakes. The graveyard can be quite rewarding if you are able to get your weapon blessed. Seek out a cleric for weapon blessings. Ask your newfound friends to join you in new areas or to point you in the right direction. Most are willing to offer a myriad of advice and lend a helping hand.
Most importantly, make sure you have secured some deeds by gaining Lorminstra's favor! Your new acquaintances will be happy to help you obtain them. (See below for more information on deeds.)
Selling Your Goods
The furrier Ghaerdish will buy skins and pelts of just about any type and quality. His shop is situated on the north side of the city, in between the Amaranth and Vermilion gates. You can sell your pelts individually, BUNDLE them up in groups of ten, or just sell your container that holds the pelts. As long as your container is open, Ghaerdish will buy only the pelts and then return it to you, along with a handful of silvers.
If you find gems or jewelry on a critter, you can sell these to Areacne, our jeweler. She is also located on the north side, just two doors west of the furrier. Sell each gem individually, or offer your container, and Areacne will buy the gems in bulk.
Other items might be of interest to our local pawnshop, located on the south side of the city and west of the Annatto gate. The shopkeeper will buy some weapons, armor, magical items, containers, and other miscellaneous items. When inside the pawnshop, a single step east will take you to the back room. The four tables in there showcase second-hand items at a discounted price. Sometimes you can find a real bargain!
Gathering Spots
Most citizens congregate around King's Court for socialization, healing, and life restoration. Be sure to thank your empaths and clerics for their services. Offering a tip shows your appreciation for the services they have shared with you.
Locksmiths can be found one more block south to open the boxes you find. Lockpicks are very expensive and break, so don't be shy with your tips. You don't want to insult a rogue - he or she may find a way to get their own tip from you. By the way, it's a good idea to always keep your containers closed and deposit your silvers in the bank.
Etiquette
Ta'Vaalor is a close-knit community, and it is best to learn some proper etiquette. Fitting in as a resident is mostly about respecting your fellow citizens while maintaining your own sense of style.
Don't yell or say the same thing over and over again. Don't repeat your actions over again, either. If you need healing, ask once and be patient before asking again if it's not life-threatening. The empath may be busy healing another or herself/himself. Learn about healing herbs and potions.
There is a bench and herb basket in King's Court where you might find herbs, potions, weapons, magical items, clothes, and more. If you need an item, such as an herb for healing, please feel free to use it. If you find an item you don't need on a creature, you can always leave it as a donation on the bench. Please do not take items from the bench that you don't intend to use for yourself.
Always be responsive to your environment when out in public. You want to make sure you answer someone should they speak to you. If you have a situation where you will be unable to interact, please find a quiet area to hide yourself from others. This way, no one gets hurt feelings thinking you are ignoring them.
As mentioned earlier, while hunting, do not attack someone else's creature unless you are invited to join them. If a creature comes into your area limping, someone will most likely run after it within a few seconds. Hold off on attacking wounded creatures. If you see items on the ground, they may belong to someone else in the room who has not had time to pick it up yet, so don't think it's there for the taking. Please don't litter! We have many barrels throughout the city for you to toss your unwanted items in.
Please don't litter. We have many barrels throughout the city to toss your unwanted items in.
We speak only in common, racial languages, or guild speak. Slang words and gibberish such as "AS," "DS," "cool," "dude," "lol," "brb," and "afk" may get you some pretty funny looks.
Now that you understand what is expected of a civilized resident of Ta'Vaalor, also understand there will sometimes be others who break the above rules of etiquette. Please do not take this upon yourself to teach them a lesson by making them out to be a fool. You might offer them a friendly suggestion in a whisper, but publicly harassing them, attacking them, or dragging them away will only make you look uncivilized.
How Do I Get A Job?
- Main article: Ta'Vaalor new-player jobs
If you are willing to work, you need only ask for a job from some of our merchants or permanent citizens. First, go see Sassion in the small building by the Vermilion Gate. She has messages that you can deliver to various people around the city.
When you deliver the message, be sure to ask the merchant for a job if he doesn't approach you first. You will earn both coin and experience while running messages for your first few trainings.
The guards stationed at the gates can get very thirsty. It's not easy standing around all day checking identification papers. If you bring them some water, they will be happy to compensate you for it, as well as some experience, as a token of their appreciation for your efforts.
After you have mastered the fine art of delivering water and messages, you may want to wander over to the Adventurer's Guild, just south of Sassion's building. Here, you can ASK Torsidr about BOUNTY, and you will be offered a task to complete. Torsidr is wise and will only ask you to complete tasks that he feels are within your abilities.
Keeping Law and Order in Ta'Vaalor
Ta'Vaalor is historically known for its military prowess. You will notice that our city is really more of a military fortress, with guardsmen all around to protect it. The Guard Captain may not seem very friendly, but he has a job to do.
His job is to arrest those who break our laws. If you are accused of stealing, he may visit you. He will visit you if you try to harm one of our town mascots or permanent residents, so don't even kick them. If you murder someone inside or close to the fortress, you will also find yourself in jail. Casting certain offensive spells of war in this proximity will also put you on his wanted list.
All the items in your possession at the time of the arrest will be taken from you and placed in a box inside Justice Hall. You will get a trial, of sorts, but the judge always sides with the Captain and will give you a fine. You will have one hour to pay this fine and regain access to your possessions, so make sure you pay this right away before doing anything else or you risk losing your items. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.
During times of war, you may be called on to help defend the city. Victory, Amaranth, and Vermilion Gates, as well as the Ravelin, all have towers that you can visit should you suddenly find your city under enemy fire. Archers are able to PEER through the windows and fire at enemies, while others can work with the ballistas. Everyone, regardless of your level of skill, can help defend the city.
Death and Dying in Elanthia
It's always an unpleasant shock to find yourself dead. Here in Ta'Vaalor, there are many clerics and empaths who have the capability to put you back in good shape. With luck, a friend, or some kind stranger, will find you and drag your dead body to a willing member of the clergy.
Death can be very cumbersome. You will find a weakness that can hinder your absorption of knowledge, known as Death's Sting, as well as some other setbacks as your training progresses. To help with this, you must look into getting some deeds. Different towns may have different ways to gain deeds. You'll learn each puzzle in your adventures and may even prefer one town over another. Most adventurers you find will know how to point you in the right direction. Or, you can look for the Garden of Ancients here in Ta'Vaalor, and puzzle it out for yourself.
If there just aren't any kind strangers around to help or you get bored waiting, you can always DEPART to decay. This will bring your body to the nearest temple, and you will be alive and fully healed. However, you should not make a habit of this. Decaying will make the effects of death much worse, and you will find your death's sting setting you back hours of hard work.
See Also
External Links
- Play.net's Quickstart Guide