Introduction

The goal of everyone in the realm is to become the final Emperor. This means that you need to be a good king first. To be a good king doesn't simply mean to keep a big army (although that really helps).

There are many aspects you will have to worry about. The following are essential:

• Your underlings (potential rebels)
• Other kings
• Internal management (serfs and soldiers)

When you handle these three things well, you will have great potential to be the final Emperor. (Be sure to have a good quote to go down in the Hall of Emperors.)

Keeping underlings happy means fair taxes (not 20%) and good protection. There will always be a few people who are just power hungry. You need to show them your power and crush them.

Relations with other kings is essential. Ally with the powerful and kill the weak to strengthen your own kingdom.

Internal management is a little more delicate. Keep your serfs happy with a low tax rate (which will also increase the population), keep your serfs fed and busy with other things to do, and do what you can with crime rates and illegal trades.

Happy ruling -- and for those non-kings, happy revolting!

Making Money

Becoming a merchant is profitable and yet dangerous. To become a merchant, you must have capital. Take your money on hand and start your investments by buying a few farms and silos. In Exitilus, fighting monsters is very proftiable, but it will never get you the money commerce can acquire. If you are a rebel or a king, the money from your investments can support a huge army!

As rewarding as being a merchant can be, it is very volatile and fragile. As soon as you have the money, you should start buying circuses, iron mines, and gold mines, since they are much safer investments. Beware of war, because your investments will take HUGE damage if your kingdom ever loses. Also, try not to anger criminals, for they can easily crush your investments....

You may have always wondered about the high prices in shops. After a while of successful commerce, you will be able to afford them.

Whenever you know your kingdom will lose a war, try to sell all of your stuff. Whenever you know your kingdom will ve completely destroyed, take your money and buy expensive items. You will be able to keep them if your kingdom is destroyed, but your money in the bank and deposit will be gone. You will also lose your entire manor! You will only get to keep what you have on hand. So be prepared for that!

Good luck with your investments!

Races

Choosing a race is a difficult thing to do. You will have to live with it until you commit suicide or are destroyed. When in doubt, form a character after yourself.

• Humans: You don't know about humans, just look all around you. They don't have any bonus or weakness because of race, they are well rounded.
  
  
• Elfs: Elfs are small, very bright, and quick. They are always the outlet of anger from Dwarves and are afraid most of the time.
  
  
• Trolls: Combine Bevis or Butthead with the incredible hulk, and you have a troll. They're big and strong, but they just might try to stab a dragon with a club.
  
  
• Orcs: Orcs are a lot like trolls. They are incredibly stupid, but stronger than a troll. However, they don't know anything about combat. Orcs also don't like to hang around Bridges, they prefer Forests and Caves.
  
  
• Gnomes: These guys are very interesting beings. They have a high resistance to drugs, are quick, and very wise. They like to hang around mountain tops and obscure areas of the world.
  
  
• Dwarves: Dwarves are almost as stout as their ale, and love to sing about it in 9 loud slightly out-of-tune voices. They also like to complain a lot, especially about elves. They also make good fighters, and are respectible with magic, if they aren't distracted "by anything looking like gold, silver, or mithril..."
  
  
• Gnolls: Gnolls are pretty weak and not very bright. They do know how to kill somebody by use of their extremely powerful poisons. If you ever encounter a gnoll, attempt to do combat at a safe distance...
  
  
• Gargoyles: Ever seen one? Probably not. They only come out at night, and don't like to bring a lot of attention to themselves. They are powerful, can fly, and also posses magical capabilties.
  
  
• Hobbit: Bilbo Baggins in the flesh. Small, brave, quick, and intelligent. Pride themselves on being able to out-smart their enemies.
  
  
• Mutants: Mutants are chaos theory in the flesh. You might not get hit all day, but you might not hit anything else either.

Classes

Choosing a class can be more difficult than a race. Your class will decide which guilds you can get into, how your player's alignment is, etc. Once again, when in doubt, form a character after yourself.

• Alchemists: Alchemists can't fight very well, and need good weapons just to keep up with other characters. However, they are very good with poisons!
  
  
• Warriors: The most popular race. Warriors are strong and powerful. They also have more intelligence than other brute force characters.
  
  
• Barbarians: Stronger than Warriors, but quite a bit slower. Barbarians are good at guarding places. Nobody gets through alive.
  
  
• Sorcerers: Perfect choice for players who like to snap their fingers and watch monsters burst into flames. If you talk to yourself, chant, or believe in magic, this is the choice for you!
  
  
• Sages: Sages are just like sorcerers, but they posses white magic capabilities. Instead of making somebody burst into flames, they can turn a frog into a prince.
  
  
• Assassins: Assassins are good fighters from a distance. They also make good thieves and good friends. If you aren't strong enough to kill somebody, hire an assassin to do it!
  
  
• Paladins: Paladins are the good warriors. They make the kings, princes, etc. They promote good wherever they go. If you plan on being evil, don't be a paladin!
  
  
• Clerics: Perfect Magical class which lets you heal yourself. However, clerics are supposed to be good and not evil. And evil cleric will suffer considerably.
  
  
• Thieves: Just the right class for those who are quick, smart, and don't have a conscience.
  
  
• Peddlers: Crap class. Peddlers are the outlets of everybody's anger. If you just want to sit around looking for handouts or being a thorn in somebody's side, this is the class for you!
  
  
• Soldiers: Soldiers are the slaves of Paladins. They have to take orders and kill whoever they are told to. Soldiers are usually in the middle of the alignment chart.
  
  
• Ninjas: Ninja's are quick fighters who become evil very quickly. There is no such thing as a good ninja...
  
  
• Rangers: Rangers are just average humans with some healing abilities. If you don't know what to pick, you can't go wrong with a ranger...
  
  
• Monks: Monks are the all-around average class. They can fight decently, heal themselves, and cast spells.

Spells

Mage Spells

• Magic Sparks: Not much more than a cantrip, this is the first spell learned by young students of magic. It costs the caster 10 mana, so although not all of their mana pool, at least a considerable amount. It is likely that they will not be able to cast it a second time in the same bought of combat.
  
  
• Flame Spear: This offensive mage spell is still not a gang busting spell, but it can help out now and then. It is learned by the young dilogent mage striving to master their craft.
  
  
• Ice Storm: The first area affect spell learned by wizards in the realm of Exitilus. Does a lot of damage to all monsters, but is a initially a major drain on the spell caster.
  
  
• Lightning Bolt: An advanced spell to get that one tough mob. It's the first major offensive ability available to the magician in some time, and can be a real life saver (only cherry).
  
  
• Frost Spray: A low level mage spell, it does more damage to your enemy than magic sparks, but not much. Some think it's useful, but others find it a waste; each spell caster will have to decide for themselves.
  
  
• Teleport: A great spell to bail yourself out when you know the monster your fighting is getting the best of you. However, Keveen has heard of some reports, though questionable, that excessive use of this spell by inexperienced spell casters has resulted in missing body parts.
  
  
• Transient Shield: A magical shield to help deflect enemy blows, though as the name suggests, it isn't permanent.
  
  
• Alchemy: Most people thought wizards only learned offensive spells. But when they started being killed by the meanest of monsters in the realm of Exitilus, they began to experiment with new spell components, and came up with a potion for healing. The original caster of the Alchemy spell was nominated for the Nobel prize in magic, but the committee found the spell very close to the first prayer learned by acolytes.
  
  
• Frigid Blast: Mages were finding that as they got more powerful, Ice Storm wasn't cutting it. They needed something against those dragons. It's not an area affect spell, but it's great at removing the worst of the bunch out of the way.
  
  
• Shockwave: This is about as close to mass destruction as it gets. A warrior would rather spend all day hacking a bunch of monsters, but the seasoned wizard finds it much easier to just cast one spell and get rid of them all in one foul swoop.

Cleric Spells

• Heal: While still in the cemanary, young acolytes begin to pray to the God for their first event of grace. This seems to the acolyte to be the most unobtainable, because it is the first; but rarely are they not rewarded. The heal spell, although not strong at low levels, will grow with the wisdom of the cleric and is probably their most beneficial favor from their God, as it often is their only chance of survival.
  
  
• Spiritual Shield: Next to the ability of healing, this unearthly shield against harm is the next most important for the young clerics who fight against their enemies in the physical realm. Upon successful completion of this prayer, a shimmering shield of florrescent light collesses in front of the young cleric and absorbs some of the wrath of their enemies attack. It is not the strongest of spells, but it does last for the durration of the fight.
  
  
• Sticks to Snakes: Although a relatively low leveled spell, Sticks to Snakes adds some real punch to a cleric's offense. Although this rare offensive prayer does low amounts of damage to monsters individually, it is the only area affect spell clerics ever learn.

Hints

So you want hints, eh? Well, they might ruin your experience, but here goes:

• Beware of the Novice Warriors and Mad Cows. Both are tough enemies!
  
  
• Always, always, always have armor and weapons on you!
  
  
• Do NOT make a lot of enemies. Instead, play them like friends and use them for help and other matierals. Then when you don't need them anymore, drop them and take the title of Emperor!
  
  
• Having a kingdom isn't all it's cracked up to be. Make sure you keep your serfs happy and have a VERY large army.
  
  
• If you're bored and looking for a good time, try drinking or talking with Bryant the Terrible in the inn. You might find out some interesting things!
  
  
• Don't leave home without healing potions... especially on quests!
  
  
• Staying at the inn isn't completely safe....
  
  
• Keep track of your money. Some people get pissed when you try to cheat them and might disclose facts about you!
  
  
• Report all bugs to your SysOp. Hey, wait a second. How'd that get in here?
  
  
• When in doubt, speak softly and carry a large club....

So, those aren't the best hints in the world, but you have to figure some things out on your own! So, go explore. Things aren't what they seem, and remember that chaos reigns supreme in Exitilus....