I see all the birds are flown.

How do I win?
Chiaroscuro isn't about winning or losing. If you're looking for level-ups and scoreboards, stick to hack-and-slash games. Here, you win by involving yourself in an ongoing fantasy epic. You win by interacting with other players and helping to grow a circle of roleplaying companions. You win by making your mark on the realm of Fastheld.

What's a MUD?
A MUD is a multi-user dungeon or dimension. That's the technical term, coined more than two decades ago in England. A MUD is basically a virtual space housed on a home computer or server where participants interact in a real-time text-based environment. It's a low-bandwidth but higher-class cousin of chatrooms, and the inexpensive precursor of the big graphical massive multiplayer roleplaying games such as Everquest and Star Wars Galaxies. At this writing, there are at least 2,000 text-based MUDs on the Internet, including Chiaroscuro.

What's the difference between a MUD and a MUSH?
Well, this question is sort of like asking what's the difference between a Rottweiler and a Golden Retriever. Both are dogs, but each comes with a certain preconceived notion about how it behaves. A MUSH is effectively a subset of the larger MUD species, and gets its categorization from the type of hardcode that serves as the foundation for the game.

Most MUSHes use PennMUSH or TinyMUSH, for example. Traditional MUDs are generally considered to be more game-like, with more attention paid to rankings, hit points, and combat; MUSHes are generally less combat-intensive, focusing on roleplaying and interaction. However, as with all generalizations, one can always find exceptions to the rule: Some MUDs are quite focused on RP and some MUSHes invest a great deal of effort in combat and other coded systems.

Why should I play a text-based game?
If you prefer a game with pictures and hate reading and writing, then maybe you shouldn't play a text-based game. But such games come with several good reasons to play. Text descriptions leave much more to the imagination than a graphical game. Poses written by players make their impact feel more crucial and immediate. The system requirements to get involved are much more lenient: A dialup modem of 56k usually won't be overwhelmed sending information back and forth when dealing with a text-based game. Most games are free, not requiring an up-front software purchase fee or a monthly account charge. Anyone with a basic Internet connection and the ability to use Telnet or client software can gain access to a text-based MUD.

What's the theme of Chiaroscuro?
Chiaroscuro is a medieval-style fantasy MUSH that takes place in a world that's Earth-like in many ways, but is not Earth. The realm of Fastheld has emerged from a cataclysmic dark age spawned by Shadow-Touched mages, and now the denizens of Fastheld have a deep-rooted fear of magical individuals. An entire wing of the Church of True Light is devoted to hunting down and neutralizing or killing Shadow-Touched mages. Inhabitants of Fastheld are surrounded by the massive Aegis wall, which protects them from the Wildlings - poison-clawed humanoids with oblong skulls and mottled green skin. Little else is known about the outside world. And, honestly, most people inside Fastheld would rather stay ignorant about the realm beyond the Aegis. For more, visit our theme section.

What year is it?
It is currently Year 627. Each real-life day=one game day, so when it's 2008 in the real world, Fastheld's calendar will flip over to Year 628. For more information about the calendar, check out our theme section.

What's there to do?
First and foremost, there's roleplaying. You create a character and play a role in an evolving fantasy epic. You interact with characters played by other real people from around the world. But if you'd like, we've also got a robust crafting system that players can use to make armor, harvest crops, create ballgowns, cook meals and mine for gold.

Tell me about crafting!
It's an elegant, robust and fairly easy to use system. Whether you're cooking, hunting, mining, creating a suit of armor, you only need to know one command syntax: +craft <group>=<specific object>.

How do I get a character?
It's easy. Connect to jointhesaga.com 2003. You'll see the following screen:

You'll want to type create Your-character-name-here your-password-here. Be sure to save your password. You'll need it when you try to connect later or if you must change your name.

Once you've logged on with your character, you can talk to other players on the Newbie channel by typing +new <insert witty greeting here>. Your new character should connect in the OOC room.

Then, enter Character Generation. Answer a few questions and walk through a series of rooms setting up your character's status, description, and starting location. When you're ready to work on stats and skills, ask a staffer or @mail Brody or Bahamut if one isn't around. As soon as possible, you'll be transferred to the stats/skills room and set up for entrance onto the game grid.

When you've been set up, you can return to the main out-of-character room and type RP to enter the in-character world and begin your Chiaroscuro adventure.

What roles are available?
You can be everything from a servant working for a noble duke to a craftsman to a soldier in the Emperor's Blades. Several townships are run by players who are almost always in search of new blood to fill important positions. Check out our web forums and visit the recruiting room on the MUSH.

Do I have to submit a character application?
Yes. As well as a detailed character biography, we ask that you pick an appropriate and original name, give yourself a decent spellchecked description, and behave in a mature fashion. Staffers will let you know if a name or description need work, and will attempt to review your biography as quickly as possible! This is to ensure that Chiaroscuro maintains high standards of fun and quality in equal measure.

How do I gain experience points for skills?
Initially, you'll get a bunch of experience points to flesh out your character's +sheet. But, over time, you can earn more XP through random XP handouts by the staff and by receiving +votes from fellow players. It's considered a sort of good karma to +vote for other players. What goes around comes around. So, if you RP with people and have a good time, throw them a +vote. At the end of each month, the system is cycled and players who receive +votes get their XP awards.

What do I need roleplaying and threshold points for?
When you type who on Chiaroscuro, you'll see how many roleplaying and threshold points you've got. If you're new, both numbers are probably 0. These numbers are important because, eventually, if you collect enough roleplaying and threshold points, you'll earn the chance to explore beyond the Aegis wall when those outer realms begin to come online.

How do I gain roleplaying points?
Roleplaying points are awarded to players who participate in staffer-sanctioned/coordinated RP events.

How do I gain threshold points?
Threshold points are awarded to players who complete tasks assigned by NPCs that involve crafting and other coded game features.

Can I play an Uruk-hai?
No. You're looking for the Tolkien MUSH just down the Internet from here. Chiaroscuro is an original-theme fantasy MUSH. You won't find Uruk-hai, you won't find Rand al-Thor, you won't find dragon weyrs and you won't find Death Gates. Currently, we're only looking for human characters.

How do people get around Fastheld?
It's a big place, so we've got several ways to get around. First, you can +walk or +run. Or, you can acquire a horse, which can +trot or +gallop, getting you around faster. Some places can only be reached by boat. We've also got automated carriages and riverboats serving several major destinations.

Am I allowed to play more than one character?
Yes, with the following caveat: Avoid allowing your alternate characters to interact with each other. Try to keep them from conflict-laden situations where they might help each other or possibly misuse information gained by one in a situation involving the other. Those who misuse alts stand to lose them.

What does "Chiaroscuro" mean?
It's a term drawn from the art world, referring to the interplay of light and shadow for harmonious effect. Symbolically speaking, in the realm of Fastheld, the primary conflict is between the Church of True Light and the Shadow-Touched mages.

What are Chia Credits? How do I get them? What can I do with them?
When you type who on the MUSH, you'll see how many Chia Credits you have. If you're new, this is probably set at 0. Chia Credits can be purchased by making contributions to Chiaroscuro, which you can do at this link. Chia Credits can be used to get a Saga E-Zine subscription, a fast horse, a personalized boat, a spacious homestead, even a large estate.

When are your peak hours?
These vary, but our busiest hours seem to be evenings Eastern Time.

Where are your players from?
We've got players from around the world, including the United States, Canada, the U.K., Australia, Africa and Singapore.