Difference between revisions of "Description line (item)"

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(Other effects)
(Special corpse statuses)
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A corpse that is going to turn into a [[vampire]] has this line added to it:
 
A corpse that is going to turn into a [[vampire]] has this line added to it:
 
<pre>It seems to be twitching slightly, almost as if it's still alive.  You probably shouldn't get too close.</pre>
 
<pre>It seems to be twitching slightly, almost as if it's still alive.  You probably shouldn't get too close.</pre>
 +
 +
NPC priests in [[Djelibeybi]] can do something to a corpse that gives it the following line:
 +
<pre>It seems to glow from within with golden light.</pre>
 +
A corpse with this line will eventually disappear (instead of decaying normally).
  
 
==Other effects==
 
==Other effects==

Revision as of 00:34, 15 November 2010

An item's description is made up of several lines.

Main description

This is a small flat square stone, like a miniature paving stone made from something that makes ordinary cement seem like powdery chalk. Incised on the unfinished side is an elaborate maker's mark that looks beyond the skill of a mortal mason. The stone is pierced by a leather thong, and could be worn as a bracelet by the devout.

Name (if deluded)

If an item is deluded, there will be a line saying what it is, of the form:

<Deluded Name> is a <normal short name of item>.

Holyness

Certain holy items--holy symbols, holy amulets, holy relics, prayer books, and prayer beads--have a line indicating which deity they're consecrated to.

  • Pishe: The <item> radiates a reassuring cyan glow like the sun after rain.
  • Gufnork: The <item> gently radiates a fuzzy white glow.
  • Gapp: The <item> stylishly radiates a pristine golden light.
  • Sandelfon: The <item> indifferently radiates a harsh grey light.
  • Fish: The <item> slowly pulsates, washing from a deep blue to a light aquamarine.
  • Hat: The <item> sheds an irritating orange glow that makes you feel that someone is creeping up on you.
  • Sek: The <item> beats regularly with blood-red pulses of light.

Consumed

Some items can be consumed or used up in some way, and have a line indicating how much of them has been used. (Note that food that has been partially eaten has lines after other effects showing this.)

Books of cigarette papers

A book of cigarette papers has a line showing how many papers are left in it:

There are <number> papers left in it.

Burnable items

A candle or block of incense has this line, which also shows whether it's lit.

It is <lit|not currently lit>.  It is <stage>.

These are the (possibly incomplete) stages of a dark red candle:

  • It is new.
  • It is not yet halfway burnt.
  • It is more than halfway burnt.
  • It is almost burnt to a stub.
  • It is burnt to a stub.

Vanilla scented candles have slightly different stages:

  • It is brand new.
  • It is almost new.
  • It is not yet halfway burnt.

Blocks of incense have this set of stages:

  • It is unmarred and unburned.
  • It is slightly scorched.
  • Half of it has burnt away.
  • It is nearly completely burnt.
  • It is burnt to a stub.

Lanterns have two lines. One shows whether it's lit, and the other shows the fuel left.

The first line is one of:

  • The lantern is not lit.
  • The wick flickers inside spreading a dull glow.

The stages of fuel left are:

  • ?
  • It is almost completely out of fuel.
  • ?

Torches do not have an extra line showing how much of them is left or whether they're lit--rather, their entire description changes.

Special corpse statuses

A corpse can have pieces of it cut off with a knife. If this has been done to it, there's a line that looks like this:

It appears to be missing its <body part(s)>.

A corpse that is going to turn into a vampire has this line added to it:

It seems to be twitching slightly, almost as if it's still alive.  You probably shouldn't get too close.

NPC priests in Djelibeybi can do something to a corpse that gives it the following line:

It seems to glow from within with golden light.

A corpse with this line will eventually disappear (instead of decaying normally).

Other effects

There are various other effects that can be applied to an item. They show up in the order they were applied in--for example, if you perform Light on something, then ward it, the Light line will be before the ward line until the Light ritual runs out. If you perform Light on it again after the first one runs out, the line will then be after the ward line.

Appearance Type Source
It is glowing brilliantly <colour>. ritual Light
It is dusted with <type(s) of powder>. item powdered rock
It has a colourful aura, with flickers of <colour> and <colour>. ritual warded
It is bathed in a <colour> aura. ritual warded

Corpse inventory

A corpse will have the same Description_line#Inventory inventory and purse lines as the living thing it used to be.

Eaten

Food (including fluff) that has been partially eaten has a line showing how much is left:

It is about <amount> gone.

Decayed

Most food has a line showing how fresh or decayed it is. The stages are:

  • It looks nice and fresh.
  • It looks a bit rotten.
  • It is half rotten.

If you pickle it, the line becomes:

It seems to have been pickled.

Octarine

These lines, in octarine, are visible only to wizards and witches naturally. Others can see them by using Detect Magic on the item or zapping a short wand at it.

Enchantment

First, if the item is enchanted, there will be a line showing the level. The normal levels are:

  • 1-10%: 'It occasionally pulses with octarine light'
  • 11-20%: 'It emits a slight octarine glow'
  • 21-30%: 'It softly pulses in dull octarine shades'
  • 31-40%: 'It gives off a steady but dull octarine glow'
  • 41-50%: 'It gives off a steady octarine glow'
  • 51-60%: 'It glows an intense octarine'
  • 61-70%: 'It emits a bright octarine colour'
  • 71-80%: 'It brightly pulses octarine'
  • 81-90%: 'It glows brilliant octarine shades'
  • 91-100%: 'It radiates pure octarine brilliance'

Delusion or talismanhood

Next, if it is a talisman or proto-talisman, there will be a line showing its level. The levels are:

  • It has a faint octarine shadow about it that disappears if you look at it squarely.
  • It has a faint octarine shadow about it.
  • It has an octarine shadow about it that flickers occasionally out of the corner of your eye.
  • It has a flickering octarine shadow about it.
  • It has a flickering octarine haze about it.
  • It has the hazy octarine sparkle of a magical talisman.

The last one indicates a full talisman.

Pockets

Some clothing has pockets. It has a line indicating this:

The <item> has <pocket or pockets>.

If there's anything in it, and it's not closed, there's an additional line showing what's in it.

It is <fullness> with: <item or items>.

There's also a line saying whether it's open or closed. Either:

It is open.

Or:

You cannot see inside it.  It is closed.

Writing

If the item has something written on it, you'll see this line:

It appears to have something written on it.

Condition

Most items have a line showing their condition:

It is in <condition> condition.

Not all items have this line, but not having the line doesn't necessarily mean it has no condition and can't be broken (for example, musical instruments can break if held when fighting or, sometimes, in containers).

Contents

Some containers (possibly non-clothing containers) have a line or two after the condition describing the contents. For dry containers, it looks like this:

The <item> is <fullness> with <item(s)>.

For vessels, it looks like this:

The cup is about one-quarter full with two ounces of green tea.
It is about one-quarter full.

In either case, the line or lines are only there if the container is open and not empty.

Open/closed

Some containers have the line saying whether it's open or closed here. It looks like either:

It is open.

Or:

It is closed.

Books also have this line, but the "open" version looks like:

It is open at page <number>.

See also