March 28, 2001 - Death Item Formulas - Zone Site

Hi Maggie,

I love your site! It's the absolute best one out there. I saw your recent letter on death items and knew I had seen how they are determined and just HAD to find the info. After many fruitless searches, I finally hit upon the site that has the straight dope on Death Items. Here's a link for you to post:

http://zone.msn.com/asheronscall/tips/ashetipsdying.asp

Barak
Thistledown
Level 50 Axe Swinger

Hi Barak -
Thanks very much for the link! And thank you for the compliment on the site. I read the article and was reminded of the waaaaay early days, when pyreal was precious, and we first went through the process of deciding whether trade notes were a good deal or not. Was losing that 10% a good trade off for that low burden and the not-lose-on-death thing? Seems almost unreal now. :)

March 28, 2001 - Death Itemage

Number dropped is level divided by 10 rounded up plus zero to two... or

10 - 1 <kiddies get a break>
11-20 - 2-4
21-30 - 3-5
31-40 - 4-6
41-50 - 5-7
51-60 - 6-8
61-70 - 7-9
71-80 - 8-10

Number dropped is per death of course.... therefore for two deaths, total coverage for Danier is 20 items. Did you wonder why I wore a robe? <g>

Have fun,

Danier
Thistledown

Thanks, Danier!
I figured even though the same information was presented in the article from Barak, your little chart really helps to clarify it!

Hey, do you *really* ever die twice in a row? ;-)

- Maggie

March 28, 2001 - Thank You

Hi Maggie,
Just wanted to let you know that ever since I more or less accidentally stumbled across your pages last week, I've been completely hooked. Haven't had such a great time looking at anybody's pages for a veeeeery long time. A couple of times I was thinking I might need some medical attention due to acute respiratory problems caused by a laughter-induced-but-hopefully- not-brain-damaging-lack-of-oxygen.

I have only been playing for a couple of weeks now and I have, thankfully, only encountered a few - ahhhm, how shall I put it? -- nasty people so far. Most of the people I've met have been very nice indeed, but encountering someone who will go to incredible lengths just to rip you off can be an off-putting experience. Knowing there's people like you out there, though, trying to help and share the huge amounts of fun they're obviously having with everybody else makes the game worthwhile. So, thank you for your pages. 

Seriously.

Alseyn T'seif
Wintersebb

Welcome to Dereth, Alseyn T'seif!
You're welcome. Thanks for writing. I'm glad you enjoy the site! It's a lot of fun to do. I've experienced very little unpleasantness by people in-game. Overall, I think the AC Community is fantastic. I've only been "stolen" from one time, when I was careless while muling. It was terrible and anger making. He had taken my purple yoroi leggings!! *sniff*

But... the guy said he felt so terrible and guilty about it, that he came and gave me everything back!! I felt better immediately. It took much much longer for Ned Cleversun to get over this terrible incident. I, um, yelled at him and said it was ALL HIS FAULT! ;-)

- Maggie the Jackcat

March 28, 2001 - I Have Been Workin Out Lately 

Wow, what a wonderful site.

I especially love the Apparel Section. I'd been wondering where to find that blue dress! Anyways, I didn't see the Aerlinthe Patron/Vassal shirts. They should be listed, as they are the only item that shows off my belly button... I have been workin out lately.

Thanks for all your hard work Maggie and everyone.... I'll come back and visit all the time now.

Chrysanthemum
Harvestgain
Level 36/Retired Archer/Fletcher

Hi Chrysanthemum -
I'm glad you found the site! Even though I despise shopping in real life, I love the different apparel choices found in AC! I do have one pic of the Patron shirt, modeled by Detriment, up on the Runway section. As I update some of the older sections, I'll make sure to put it in the regular apparel section as well! Thanks for pointing it out!

- Maggie the Jackcat

March 28, 2001 - Dead Shopkeepers 

Well one beautiful afternoon I was wandering the streets of Holtburg hopelessly. Well then I had an idea! I would travel to Glenden woods to visit my friends who like live there. I was about a few miles outside of Holt on my way to GW when I got an itchy trigger finger for war magic. hehe. I spotted a useless old drudge but I decided to kill him, he was in front of a store on the side of the road. I wasted him in a single blow but I happened to notice that the door was open. I went in all I saw was a corpse rotting on the ground. I clicked on the corpse but nothing happened. Outside the hut was a part of the roof! Not joking, weird things can happen. My friend told me that some day major towns will be no longer than ruins. I just wanted to know if dead shop keepers ever came back to life. Thanx!

Wizard-wisky
Thistledown
Level 8 Sorceror

March 28, 2001 - Singularity Quest and the Moss Chamber

I vas of mine who currently hunts the Hall of Helm sent me a tell one day that he had been killed in the Moss Chamber in Zak and said he would need help. I replied you're kidding right? (As that place WAS a joke.) He said no that he had been hit for 35 point of fire damage before he even exited the portal and was dead before he barely even had a chance to turn and run.

I went there with fully buffs "Just In Case" and sure enough there was a moss something or nother wielding a big nasty flame sword who I sent screaming home. Once my vas had collect his body I decided to explore. I managed to get to what I believe in the end was a Moss Witch and a Gragghk (Which I had never even seen!) 

I finshed the Witch off and the Gragghk decided at this point he wanted a part of me and sent me screaming to the life stone in one hit. :( I went back in and got jumped by 3 mosses this time and a debuff latter was back at the Life Stone. :( :(

Called in some friends and we cleared this place all the way back down to the Gragghk and I saw a portal that I believe went to a deeper Moss Chamber. The area we had come to with the Gragghk did not appear to be the end. Just for your info... :)

Fu' Leng
Proud Member of Elder
Morningthaw
Level 38 4 School Mage

Hi Fu'Leng -
I know this letter is a little dated by now, but it made me smile so much when I read it that I decided to publish it anyway. Ahhh, memories! I had the exact same experience! And I'm sure soooo many other people did too. That little dinky dungeon turned overnight into a death trap. Gragghk took me down in one hit before I even saw what hit me. Thanks for letting me re-live a little of the fun I had on the Singularity Weapons quest.

- Maggie the Jackcat

March 28, 2001 - Caulnalain Quest Info

Currently doing this one, and the jump, at the start to get the portal gem. It can be done with a jump of 165, and you don't need to run up, you can just do a standing jump and then keep the forward key down.

Just a wee update tip for you...

Kinrowan
Frostfell
Level 37 Mage, 4 more to Creature Magic


Hi Kinrowan -
Thanks for the tip. I'll try to update the Caulnalain page with the info soon!

- Maggie the Jackcat

March 28, 2001 - Patch Pages

Maggie,

You may recall me mentioning that it would be nice to have links to the server updates under the archived new stuff links. You mentioned that these pages where under Culture, and then Dereth History.

Well, I went there and didn't find any of the info on the patches. In other words, there is just text and no screenshots, things like that.

For instance look at the difference between
http://www.thejackcat.com/AC/Culture/Dereth/Lonely2.htm &
http://www.thejackcat.com/AC/Culture/Dereth/Lonely.htm

Lonely2.htm is the page I'm looking for not Lonely.htm.

So what I suggest is placing links to the "Patch Pages" like
http://www.thejackcat.com/AC/Culture/Dereth/Lonely2.htm below the links to
the archived new stuff.

This way I and others looking for these pages will be able to find them. I can't find January's patch page.

Thank you,
Doh Jo-Sho/Aeros
Thistledown
Level 39 UA/Healing/Item/Creature/Life

March 28, 2001 - Charges Laid Against The Jack Cat

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, I now present before you the Case of Maggie The Jack Cat. As all of you know, Maggie The Jack Cat has a fabulous Asheron's Call website. Charges are laid against Maggie The Jack Cat for catalyzing an already dangerously addictive game to a degree unheard of.

The Prosecution:
*You're hopeless. You couldn't push over a brown bunny. Desert bunnies give you nightmare. Spell? You don't even know how to speak properly. You're heading for the nearest Shadow spire to come crashing down to your oblivion. On the way down, you capture the view. You're telling yourself, Hey, probably Maggie could use this one. Bam... there you go... looking for terrible deaths all over Dereth.

*The idea of spilling (un)living blood all over the landscape revolts you. You heave a sigh of relief, that finally you can let go of that AC game. Wrong. Bammm. Here comes Maggie with her chocolate cake, Holtburger and Ice cream recipes.

*You've been wiped out. Your corpses litter the Direlands. You freeze you tush off whenever there's a breeze as you have nothing left. Ahhh, freedom from the addiction. As you're heading back to town, you stumble across an apple orchard. Whammm... Maggie can tell you where to get yourself stinking rich with these meager apples.

*You've mastered all the beasts Dereth can throw at you with two hands tied behind your back. Finally, you can hang up that Katar. Crash... here comes the newest quest from Maggie.

*You've tried every type of Hero. You've got mana coming out of your ears. Crunch... Have you tried Maggie's Extreme template?

*You get lost coming out of your pajamas, let's not even consider knowing how portals work. Splash... Here's Maggie's World Wide Maps.

See that amount of unnecessarily added addiction Maggie lathers all over the place? Prosecution rests.

The Defense:
Errrr... he's right Your Honor.

The Verdict:
Maggie's Asheron's Call Kick-Ass Fabulous Web site is even more than that. She contributes hours upon hours of scheming, planning and reflection upon a game that already eats up more than its fair share of (un)conscious hours.

One thing to say:
It's one Kick-Ass Fabulous web site.

Alex, the sleep Calling axe wielder.
Solclaim
Level 27

Hi Alex -
I can't even begin to tell you how the timing of your letter made me smile. Thanks very much for your creative efforts! I just eat this kind of stuff up! My vassal marvels at my completely unlimited capacity for soaking up praise.

I just hope you go easy on me during the Sentencing! ;-) 

- Maggie the Jackcat

March 12, 2001 - Death Item

Maggie, 
I'm trying to find information about Death Items.  Some robes are always lost and I need to know more about it.  Let me know...

Zorball
Solclaim
Level 33 Warrior and Mage

Hi Zorball -
When people refer to Death Items, they usually mean items of high value that they carry hoping those items will be selected to be lost, instead of their regular, crucial every-day armor & weapons. I don't remember exactly how death items are calculated, but the higher your level, the more items you will lose. Items are also categorized (weapons, items, armors, etc.) and you'll tend to lose one of the highest valued items from the different categories. 

Mage Master Robes are popular death items because they are lightweight and they are a very high value. Plus they are easily replaceable. The new Recall Gems to the Master Robe Archmages are also good death items for the same reasons. Some people carry useless (to them) pieces of armor with absurdly high values (nearly flawless pyreal greaves with Strength VI, Coor VI, Imp VI, Rank 8+ -- value: 46,974p) or pieces of jewelry, or some outrageously expensive footwear, like Sara Truflight's Armoredillo Hide shoes.

March 12, 2001 - Urgh, I Hate Being A Newbie :)

Hey Maggie, 
I love the site, but I've got one question. While perusing your site I noticed a section called 'Peas', filled with pictures and descriptions of items like the Pyreal Pea and the Taper Pea. I hate to be the noobie, but what's a Pea for? And what's it do? Maybe you could toss an explanation at the top of that page. That'd be great :)

On a side note, I'm tied in Bandit Castle and can get you the rates of the merchants, if you need them. Just tell me what you need :)

Also, I had an item on a mule of mine a while back. I got it in Stone Cathedral, I believe; that dungeon by Shoushi West Outpost (1-5). Anyway, it was "Finely Aged Cider", and wasn't droppable. Needless to say I deleted that mule, so I don't know its 'flavor text', but I found it odd. It's also not on your Food Bargains page. It had the same icon as Grape Juice.

Just my little tidbit,

Jinn Kai
Darktide
Level 34 UA

Hi Jinn Kai -
Thanks very much for the offer of the Bandit Castle rates. I would have loved to have taken you up on it, but I had already made the run up there myself! I loved your suggestion about an explanation of what peas are and wrote one up on the Peas bargain page. I've been getting a lot of newbie questions lately, and sometimes forget that what seems so obvious to me isn't obvious to people who haven't been playing a while.

The Cider is also a newbie item. It's part of the Shoushi Starter Quests. Nen Ai needs it for her sickly pet drudge. You can find more information here. Thanks again!

- Maggie the Jackcat

P.S. Level 34?! I'm not so sure we can call you a newbie anymore! ;-)

March 12, 2001 - Arcane Lore & Explorer Items

Do i need arcane lore to use the Ring of Endurance. I am specialized in Meelee Defense, Healing, Run, Sword. Can you help?
Latimus

Latimus
Darktide
Level  6

Hi Latimus -
You don't have to be specialized or trained in Arcane Lore to use the items, but you do need an Arcane Lore of 15. The Difficulty of the item is the required Arcane Lore to activate the item's spells. If you don't have Arcane Lore trained or specialized, you cannot add points directly to the skill. However, you can raise it by putting points into Focus. If you put your mouse over any skill, you'll see the formula appear in the top left of your screen. The Arcane Lore skill is calculated by Focus divided by 3. So for every three points of Focus you raise, your Arcane Lore skill will raise by 1. I hope that helps!

- Maggie the Jackcat

March 5, 2001 - PK Story Gives Me Great Big Smile

Hey Maggie,
Just wanted to say that the PK story is a perfect example of why I like your site so much. Everyone has formulas and coords, but only you take the time to show the world that this game might actually be fun. Those crazy Ned Cleversun stories always make me laugh. Keep up the great work!

Arrow Gantbich
Leafcull
Level 22 Archer (isn't it obvious)

Hi Arrow Gantbich -
Thanks very much! I'm glad you had fun reading it; it was a fun night and fun to re-live when writing about it. Those crazy Ned Cleversun stories always make me laugh too! 

- Maggie the Jackcat

March 5, 2001 - Advocates & Sentinels

Dear Maggie, 
First, I love your site. It is a wonderful resource. Anyway, I have recently learned that on the Frostfell server at least, Advocates and Sentinels have been removed from the game. I don't know if this occurred on other servers, but you may want to update that fact on your site :)

A fan,

Cutreth AKA Cutreth the Mage
Frostfell
Level 9 Axer, Level 5 Mage