Help System

NAME
house pets - information on adopting house pets in Alyria.

DESCRIPTION
The establishment of animal shelters and adoption centers across Alyria
has afforded players the opportunity to adopt pets to keep in their homes.
Pets make great companions for lonely adventurers and enliven the
atmosphere of player owned homes. They can be quite entertaining both
through player interaction and when left to their own devices. Although
pets are normally restricted to the home, owners are able to summon them
with the aid of an enchanted whistle.

ADOPTING A PET
Pets and pet supplies may be purchased for reward units at the Van Pelt
Emporium near the Towne of Rune. If a home has two owners, the new pet
will recognize both as its masters. Multiple pets may be placed in a home,
although only one pet (or rather, its food source) may be placed per room.
The fee for adoption covers 4 Alyrian years worth of food, which is about
one year "real time".

SELECTION
Pets come in many shapes and sizes. When looking to adopt a pet, the
adopter can select the characteristics desired as well as of course giving
the pet a name. (The name must conform to the naming rules; see HELP
NAMES) It is possible to preview a pet selection before confirming the
adoption. This can be done any number of times using an adoption voucher.

FEATURES
Pets are living creatures, they require food, rest, attention, and
entertainment.

Food
Newly adopted pets come with a food supply that needs no owner
intervention until it runs out. If the food supply runs out, an additional
4 Alyrian years worth of food may be purchased at an animal shelter. If
there is no food remaining, the pet will leave until more is added.

Energy
Pets require rest to renew their energy. Pet snacks may be purchased at
certain pet shops that temporarily renew the pet's energy. However, they
cannot be expected to go without sleep for long periods of time, and
cannot eat more than they can fit in their stomachs. Special furniture is
available to accommodate pets as well, for they deserve the utmost
comfort. Pet furniture improves the quality of a pet's rest and will allow
a pet to regain energy faster.

Attention
Pets need attention from their owners. Using various social commands such
as PET will alter a pet's opinion of you. The more positive attention is
given, the better the pet will respond. Conversely, of course, being
unpleasant to your pet may severely harm its disposition toward you.
Additionally, playing with your pet tends to greatly improve an owner-pet
relationship. Several toys suitable for pets can be found throughout the
world of Alyria.

Commands and Tricks
Pets are generally smart animals. As such they can be taught certain
tricks and commands. These tricks are described in detail below. Some
commands and tricks are available right away after adoption, while others
must be taught to the animal from various one use training guides
available for purchase.

FURNISHING A SUITABLE HOME
Pets, like people, enjoy a stimulating an environment. They benefit from
having items to play with and furniture to interact with inside a home.
Certain pets also have specific needs that are described below.

MOVEMENT
Outside the home pets are able to follow their owners almost anywhere
granted that they have sufficient energy and desire to do so. At home pets
have liberty to wander around at the discretion of the owners (including
all sections of the home up to the street). In order for them to be free
to walk around the house they might first be shown around. This is done by
asking the pet to follow you by either a SAYTO <pet> FOLLOW instruction or
by BECKONing the pet. A pet will randomly move around the house as it sees
fit, and will usually prefer rooms which are more interesting than others
(usually based on the contents of the room). A pet has limited ability to
open unlocked doors. Additionally, special pet doors may be installed to
allow a pet to walk through any door effortlessly.

GENERAL COMMANDS
* Follow (beckon) - Ask your pet to follow you. If used on a hiding
               animal, the pet will come out into sight.
* Shoo        - Commands the pet to leave your sight so as to not disturb
               you. The pet can be summoned once again by PUSHing the
               object which holds their food.
* Stay        - Instruct your pet to stop following you if your pet is
               already doing so, otherwise the Stay command instructs your
               pet to stay in the room they are in for a period of time.
* Stay Here   - This is a stronger version of Stay and will permanently
              clear a pet's knowledge of the house. After use of this
               command, the pet would have to be shown around the house
               again in order to be able to walk around on its own. This
               command only works in the room with the pet's food source.

TRICKS
Tricks are commands that can be issued using SAYTO by an owner to a pet.
While pets will know some tricks right from adoption, other tricks must be
taught. One use trick teaching guides are available at the animal shelters
for reward units.

The following is a listing of tricks that may be taught. Not all animals
can learn all tricks.

* Beg         - Command your pet to beg.
* Bow         - Command your pet to take a bow.
* Circle <target> - Command your pet to run around someone in circles.
* Clean       - Ask your pet to clean someone who is in need of cleaning.
* Fetch <object> - Ask your pet to locate and deliver to you an item
               in your house.
* Find <target> - Play a game of hide and seek, ask your pet to
               locate you or a person in your house.
* Hide          - Play a game of hide and seek, ask your pet to find a hiding
               spot, then attempt to locate the pet by announcing (using
               SAYTO) "you are hiding <behind/in/under> <object>", or
               simply beckon them if you give up.
* Jump ["in"/"on"] [<target>] - Command your pet to leap into the air.
               Using this command, you can order your pet to jump on or
               in a specified object.
* Kiss <target> - Order your pet to give someone a kiss.
* Multiply <number1> <'and'> <number2> - After much research, animal
               scientists have determined how to unlock an animal's mathematical
               ability. This trick asks your pet to solve a multiplication
               problem.
* Play Dead   - Orders your pet to play dead for a short time.
* Roll Over   - Command your pet to roll over.
* Sic <target> - Order your pet to attack a person. Be careful!
               This affects your pet's opinion of the target.
* Sit         - Command your pet to sit down, useful for calming down
               overexcited felines.
* Speak       - Ask your pet to say something.
* Stand       - Command your pet to stand up if the feline is resting or
               sleeping.
* Wave        - Ask your pet to wave at the audience.

PET RELOCATION AND OWNERSHIP
It is possible to relocate a pet from one home to another or between
different rooms of a home as long as the person performing the action owns
both homes. Vouchers for relocation are available at animal shelters.

Pets cannot change owners. If a house that a pet is in is being transferred
to another character, if the owner wishes to keep the pet, the owner must
pay for the pet's relocation, a voucher for which may be purchased at an
animal shelter. If the pet is not transferred to another home before the house
transfer occurs, it will be sent permanently to Miss Elspeth's Home for
Unloved Pets in Xaventry for re-adoption by a more deserving person.

AVAILABLE PETS
Currently there is only one type of pet available for adoption.

CAT
There are several domesticated cat breeds to choose from, including but
not limited to:

* Soolay Stalker  - Soolay Stalkers are large black cats with round faces
                   and rounded ears.
* Prowcian Snow Cat - Prowcian Snow Cats originate from the colder areas of
                   Prowce Tundra. They have a white coat, the color of
                   snow, and extra thick and long tufts of hair on their
                   paws and ears.
* Bonnak Ruby     - The Bonnak Ruby, a breed of average size originally
                   from the Bonnak Desert, has a marked crimson coat with a
                   pattern of darker stripes.
* Wampo Ringtail  - First found near the Wampo Stream, the Wampo
                   Ringtail is a black and brown tabby with the unique
                   characteristic of an extra long tuft of hair near
                   the tip of its tail. This feature combined with their
                   tendency to inordinately curve their tail has contributed
                   to the breed's name.

A complete listing of cat breeds is provided during pet selection using an
adoption voucher.

Alternatively, it is possible to adopt an unnamed breed of cat with player
specified attributes. These attributes are chosen from a list which is
also provided during the adoption process and cover features such as
build, fur texture, and fur color.

Cat Tricks and Commands
Cats know the following tricks and commands from adoption: Clean, Speak,
and Wave. They are able to learn all of the tricks and commands listed in
the Tricks section.

Special Cat Needs
Cats need to regularly sharpen their claws using suitable solid objects.
Inside a player owned home this is most often the player's furniture. It
is possible to reduce the cat's tendency to damage furniture by scolding
them immediately after they begin sharpening. However this is a crude,
ineffective, and unpleasant way of controlling their instincts. For this
reason special scratching posts are available for purchase. Cats will
happily use these instead of whatever is around as they are specially
designed for their needs.

Cat Ownership Benefits
Besides the obvious benefits of companionship, cats have very practical
benefits as well. They will occasionally bestow a small refresh of the
owner's stamina when the owner returns home from a journey.

SEE ALSO
Pets, Mount, Dismount, Hitch, Unhitch, Riding