=== Interacting with Objects ===

Halls of Mist features many different item types, all of which are at least 
potentially useful for players.  This help file summarizes the various item 
types and the means of interaction with them.


=== Inspecting Objects ===

One of the most useful commands when interacting with objects is the inspect 
object command, 'I'.  This command provides you information about an object and
its uses as well as information as to what attacks may damage or destroy the 
object, where you obtained it, and various other data.  The type of information 
given varies with the item type.  Only partial and unreliable information is 
available for unidentified objects.  If an object has been identified, but is 
noted as having possible "hidden powers", you'll need to *identify* it to get 
the full description.

When 'I'nspecting objects, rogues get the additional ability to estimate its
value. (Rogues are the only characters that can sell items to the shops.)


=== Object Identification ===

When you go down into the dungeon, most objects will be unfamiliar to you.  If 
you find a red potion, for instance, you can't tell what it's effect on you 
will be - it could raise one of your stats, heal your wounds, or maybe kill 
you.  Similarly, if you find a broad sword, you don't know if it's enchanted,
cursed, or neither.

There are two ways to figure out what an item does.  You can try using it,
which may or may not give you the information you need (if you drink a healing
potion when unhurt, you'll feel no different), and can carry a significant 
risk. If you wear an object for a long time, you will eventually identify it.
The safer way to identify objects is via an identify spell - available to most
spellcasters (except bards) at some point in the game, and via scrolls of
identify for all classes.

There are three types of item in the game. Those whose use is immediately 
obvious and require no identification include weapons, armor, instruments,
torches, and food rations. The second, and largest, class, consists of the
items such as wands, potions, and scrolls - where, once you know what one
particular item does, you'll automatically recognize identical items when you
meet them again.  So if you identify one potion of cure light wounds, the next
one will not require identification.  The final class falls somewhere between
the second and third types - where some information (their effect) is available
once you identify one, but the rest must be determined for each item.  Items in
this catagory include rings, amulets, and lanterns which affect your statistics
- once you identify one ring of strength you'll recognize when another ring
modifies strength, but you won't know if it raises or lowers it without further
identification.

Finally, for some rare artifacts found deep in the dungeon, simply identifying
them may not be sufficient.  For these items, you may need a scroll of 
*identify* to learn their full abilities - unless you possess the lore skill
of a bard.


=== Cursed Objects ===

Some objects, mainly armor and weapons, have had curses laid upon them.
These horrible objects will look like any other normal item, but will
detract from your character's stats or abilities if worn.  They will also
be impossible to remove until a remove curse is performed.  In fact some
are so badly cursed that even this will not work, and more potent methods
are needed.

If you wear or wield a cursed item, you will immediately feel deathly cold,
and the item will be marked with the fake inscription "cursed".

Shopkeepers will refuse to buy any item which is known to be cursed.


=== Object Inscriptions ===

You may "inscribe" any object with a textual inscription of your choice. These
inscriptions are not limited in length, though you may not be able to see the
whole inscription on the item.  The game applies special meaning to 
inscriptions containing any text of the form "@#", "@x#", "!x" or "!*"; see 
"playing.txt".

The game provides some "fake" inscriptions to help you keep track of your
possessions.  Wands and staves which are known to be empty will be inscribed
with "empty".  Objects which have been tried at least once but haven't been
identified yet will be inscribed with "tried".  Cursed objects are inscribed
with "cursed".  Broken objects may be inscribed with "broken".  Also, any
item which was purchased at a discount, will be inscribed with the appropriate
"discount", such as "25% off".  Note that these inscriptions are fake, and 
cannot be removed.


=== Unified Use ===

If you have the "use_command" option turned on (it is off by default), all the
items listed below, plus a few other types, may be used with the 'u'se command
in addition to the specialized commands necessary for them normally.  Whether 
this is more or less convenient is debatable, as it makes command selection 
simpler but also makes it a lot easier to use the wrong item by error. See
"option.txt" for more details.


=== Usable Item types ===

Weapons, Armor, and other wearable items
    The wide variety of weapons and armor usually is used by simply wielding 
    them, and offer ongoing effect.  However, certain artifacts, as well as 
    other rare armor types, can be 'A'ctivated to produce magic-like effects.
    You need to be wearing the item to do so.  Once 'A'ctivated, most artifacts
    require some time to recharge before they can be used again.

Food
    You must eat regularly to prevent starvation.  As you grow hungry, a 
    message will appear at the bottom of the screen saying "Hungry".  If you go
    hungry long enough, you will become weak, then start fainting, and 
    eventually, you may die of starvation.  You can eat food with the 'E'at
    command.

    Many food types, especially mushrooms, have additional effects on your
    character.  Depending on the food type, these can be very useful, or very
    harmful.

Potions
    The dungeon features many potion types - more than any other item type, in
    fact.  Whe 'Q'uaffed, potions can vary wildly in their effect - they can 
    permanently raise you abilities, but they can also instantly kill you.  

    Potions can be mixed in order to try to produce different potions.  The 
    rules for alchemy are somewhat complex.  You must have either quaffed or
    identified a potion in order in order to learn that it is a component in
    an alchemy formula.  The formulas themselves are learnt by quaffing 
    potions (the chance is based on your skill)- so, for instance, if a potion
    of cure disease is composed of a potion of cure light wounds and a potion
    of cure serious wounds, and you never saw a potion of CSW in the game yet,
    you can learn, by quaffing potions of cure disease that it has CLW as one
    of its components, but you won't be able to learn the other component until
    you quaff or identify a potion of CSW (note that if you quaffed it, you 
    don't have to have identified it - a {tried} potion can show up as a 
    component).  When actually mixing potions, make sure you don't try potions
    more complex than your skill in alchemy allows - failure will mean that you
    can be severly damaged in the resulting explosion. 

    Potions usually are vulnerable to cold attacks.

Scrolls
    Scrolls are an ubiquitous item type.  They can produce many different
    effects when 'r'ead.  Reading a scroll causes the parchment to disintegrate
    as the scroll takes effect.  Some scrolls which prompt for more information
    can be aborted (by pressing ESCAPE), which will stop reading the scroll
    before it disintegrates.  You cannot read a scroll while blinded or in
    darkness.

    Scrolls may be destroyed by fire and acid attacks.

Wands
    Wands are short sticks imbued with magical power.  All wands have a limited
    amount of charges.  Wand abilities always require a target - whether a
    monster, or a dungeon feature, you must always choose where to apply the
    effect.  Wands may be used with the 'a'im command.

    Wands usually are vulnerable to electrical attacks.

Staves
    Like wands, staves have a limited amount of charges, but while wands 
    require a particular direction or target, staves have powers which either
    affect you directly (such as healing), affect your inventory (such as 
    identify) or affect everything in a particular radius (or, often, every 
    creature you can see).  Staves may be used with the 'u'se command.

    Staves are vulnerable to fire and rot attacks.

Talismans
    Talismans are small items imbued with magical powers.  Their abilities are
    similar to those of wands, and they always require a direction or a target,
    but unlike wands, they don't have a limited amount of charges.  Instead, 
    once their ability is used, you will have to wait a certain amount of turns
    before using it again - but you can use it an infinite number of times.
    Up to 6 talismans of the same type can stack in any inventory slot.  To
    access the power of a talisman, use the 'y' command. 
    
    Talismans are indestructible.

Rods
    Rods are similar to talismans, but instead of having wand-like effects they
    have staff-like effects that target the player or a predetermined area.  To
    use a rod, 'z'ap it.  Up to 5 rods can share an inventory slot.

    Rods are indestructible.
