Greetings! I'm brand new to the forums and still pretty new to Lusternia. I'm not unfamiliar with the very basic commands for doing things and getting around (LEARN # skill FROM teacher, GET THING, GET GOLD, etc.) but I am very new to Lusternia's extremely deep and detailed politics, history and interactions. The mud I come from isn't nearly so deep with these things, and I don't know that it ever was. This is quite a challenge for me, especially with the way many of the cities/communes/Guilds feel towards each other's members.

So this is what I wanted to do. I don't want to join any organizations (aside, perhaps, from clans) until I've learned and explored the world as much as possible. I know already that certain members of certain groups are hindered from travelling to certain places, and being familiar with muds, I know what prejudices there would be towards me if I joined one group, and still tried to learn from another (you can't deny it, it always happens ).

So my goal first is to read all the histories on all the races and events of the world that I can get my hands on. I want to read from all the libraries, I want to learn from/about all the cities/communes and their Guilds, and I want to learn about all the races, geography, denizens, politics, culture, everything, as a rogue first, then perhaps join an organization. However, I'll still need a bit of gold here and there to buy food, potions and replace clothing (not to mention all the library fees). So I was wondering, as a rogue, what skillsets should I invest some lessons into? What exactly can I do with these skillsets?

Also, I've already noticed that some books are written in languages I can't understand. What is Lusternia's process for learning new languages and what/how much does it cost? Will I be able to access the various libraries of the world, or do I need to be a member of the city/commune/village that library is housed in? Are there any other players who would be willing to give scholarly lessons to a rogue? Often, I find that players can give much more in-depth information than most books becuase many of them have lived the events. What books/libraries can anyone recommend I research with in order to learn the most about Lusternia in detail?

Sorry for the long post, and sorry if I put it in the wrong place. Thank you all for any answers you give, and I look forward to learning more about Lusternia!

Honestly, the best advice for a rogue is: don't be a rogue. Lusternia is NOT built for rogues; in fact, many of the game's mechanisms are designed specifically to deter rogues. You really need to find a city/commune to join.

It doesn't really matter if another city doesn't let you into their library, though; every city/commune library has a copy of every book in every other library, so you can really get all your books from one library.

Only bookbinders can learn other languages, but I've never heard of things being able to be written in anything other than Common. Unless you're referring to the History of the Elder Wars book in the World Library, which is written in Divine so no one can read it.

And players will be much more inclined to help you learn stuff if you are part of their org. People aren't generally that helpful to rogues.

Anyway, the game really isn't as complicated as it looks. Much of it is pretty easy to get into - there are some parts that are confusing with complex systems (and complex politics), but they wouldn't really concern you as a newbie anyway because you wouldn't be able to do anything with them - when you're able to help with them, you'll learn more about them.

Well, it wasn't necessarily my intent to stay a rogue. I want to gain a better understanding of all the politics I see around me first, before joining any organization. So here's my next question, since no one will likely help out a rogue:

What city/commune and Guild is most recommended to someone who wants to persue a mainly scholarly/exploratory path? I have no interest in PvP, I have very little interest in combat outside of what I need for defence, and I would enjoy hunting/questing but not above learning. Any good suggestions from anyone?

My race is Loboshigaru, and I've already learned to Novice in Resilience, Apprentice in Planar, Apprentice in Discipline, Capable in Environment, and Novice in Influence, if that helps any.

Also, it's not my interest of whether or not I can affect something that I learn about. Its purely my interest that I learn about it to begin with.

Thanks for the help, and thanks for any more that anyone gives!

yeah, the only way to learn other languages is to become bookbinder which allows you to write books in other languages too. Also the last skill in bookbinding allows you to read and write in divine.

It's not the last skill, though it is rather high.

Any way its hard being a rogue, I know I tried once and got tired of after I left Newton, because once you leave there you can't learn from the keepers of the nexus in the cities and communes, but you can learn from other players

Best guild for scholars are mage and guardian ones. I'd also suggest you start over, unless you really don't care about your skills - common skills aren't important until after you've gotten rather far in your main (guild) skills.

My idea maybe isnt easy path but could be very interesting when you know Lusty world better.

You could try to roleplay Tosha monk. In west mountains there is monastery where lives Loboshigaru monks. There is really nice honors quest related to them too.
They are something like Shaoulin monks, so scholars and using hand to hand combat in defence ( but be aware that hand to hand combat have no place in Lusty).

Other that this idea i think all cities communes will accept scholar. But they will expect that this scholar will be learning and teaching about their philosophy. So about Light in Celest, and so on.

Yeah. I'd join a Mage guild if I were you. The two that are out there currently are the Geomancers in Magnagora, and the Aquamancers in Celest. Both are tied to their respective Elemental Planes. After having some experience in both those guilds, I'd say that the Aquamancers are the better of the two. I know that the Geomancer's have some better abilities in their Geomancy skill, but the Aquamancers just plain ol' kick ass, and we've got some NICE abilities. Like our Staff... It heals! -swoon-

-Ryld

I'd have to say that from my experience in Celest... every single time I treid an alt there, I was mentally punched in the face. The RP level was just killing me.., someone telling me to be human and then reincarnate at level 70 cause it's hard to bash as a celestine loboshigaru and you could use the exp bonus (that was pre-symbols). Had an Aquamancer, for a very short bit admittedly... but a close friend of mine assured me that it's the same.

I honestly hope I'm wrong, but all in all, both Magnagora and Glomdoring provide a much higher level of RP IMHO

I actually know who your character is, and I think his interest in the scholarly is great. I do think that he'll be lost without a guild or affiliation of some sort--and I don't think clans will cut it.

Not wanting to fight at ALL is a slight issue, however, with joining any organization. I can't think of one that would be happy watching anyone standing around while there was raiding going on. I also can't think of one that would actually force you to be something you are not. No one is going to make you be a fighter, but some combat, really the basics, is sort of expected.

That being said, I think that the forestal communities offer more freedom in the scholarly aspects of things. Yes, it's totally biased, but I think looking at CULTURE shows that there is stronger interest in the scholarly arts in the communes than the cities.

It's the kind of roleplay you're looking for mostly that will determine what is right for you. I'd suggest talking to members of the communities in the world. It's a lot easier to get a feel for what is what when you hear it from those who are living it.

Good luck--I think your concept is a good one. Stick with it, and take your time making those big decisions!

Whatever you do, don't join the Seekers of Knowledge clan. That'd be like cheating in your research as they give out quest info to every single honors quest which I rather dislike.

Joining that clan is actually banned in Celest! heh

Really? We should do the same in Serenwilde.

Heh. Yeah. Shamarah put up a post about it, or something. Saying if you joined it, you ousted, enemied, shot, and mutilated. All at the same time!

... when was this again?

Yeah, Celest is bad for RP. Geomancers and Nihilists are the best guilds for more scientific scholarly persuits, though I suppose the Shadowdancers or Blacktalon would also fit for a more shamanistic character - rituals, studying spirits, ect. Hartstone and Moondancers would give you more freedom and allow the same thing, but they're both full of morons. Ahem.

Also: The Seekers of Knowledge is such a retarded clan. Everyone in it needs to be gassed, and Exeryte publically sodomized by a Sandojin.

While yes we have some weird people..were not all that bad

There is great room in both the Shadowdancers and the Blacktalon for scholarly/scientist types. Just of a more rural, slightly witch-doctory flavor - wiccan and druidic trappings rather than grand highmagic ritual.

Right, even the worst guilds have a handful of good people, but they are dwarfed by swarms of imbeciles.