Player Killing
Dawn of the Ages (DoA) offers an optional form of player killing. However, once your character joins player killing, or becomes "pk-joined", she is forever part of the player killing spree. This is not for the faint of heart.
No place is safe in the world from player killing. Some places may be a bit more difficult to access, and certainly there are mobs that might stand in the way of a hunter and his prey, but there are no "safe rooms" or "safe areas" on DoA. All places are open to pk - temples, shops, even the areas purportedly protected by the clan of Judges. We repeat here for your benefit: once pk, always pk. Don't have your character join pk if you do not expect your character to be hunted, attacked, and killed.
There are benefits and drawbacks to player killing. Foremost of the drawbacks is the possibility of looting. There is no loot-limit on DoA. A character can be stripped naked of her belongings by her killer. Of course, there are limits that even the killer might abide by, as there is a timed block-out preventing a character from logging off after looting another. The more a killer loots, the higher the block-out. This is in effect even if the player behind the character must leave for a real life circumstance - his character will remain "in play" until the block-out ends. It would not be wise to full-loot a character if you have to eat dinner in an hour.
Player killers, on the other hand, have access to the best objects in the game, including the legendary items that can lend a step up to their owners. Limited items have better damage averages, higher stat bonuses, and sometimes imbedded spells that more mundane items do not have. Player killers also can take a more active role in the clan wars, robbing the opposing clan of their precious clan item and wreaking havoc among its members. Then there are the accolades that come with being a top player killer, as exemplified by the player killing list ranking the top player killers.
Player killing is not always easy, especially against veterans of this kind of combat. However, with patience and a lot of daring, one can easily pick up the nuiances of picking off your target. There also are rules to pk, which we list below.
Rules of Player Killing
Rule I - Expect to be pk'd. Don't take it personally.
Rule 2 - Player killing out of range is forbidden. By any means. This includes the use of charmed mobs to do the killing and the use of spells to place characters in deadly areas. You can hire other player killers who are in range of the victim to do the killing, but there is to be no direct involvement by your character.
Rule 3 - Player killing and player stealing are encouraged, but are limited by the role you play. If you are a Celestial serving Shorkam, for example, you do not kill other followers of Shorkam, nor other goods without due cause.
Rule 4 - In combination with rules two and three above, you are not to use a secondary character to do the killing for the primary character. We consider this multiplaying.
Rule 5 - Read Rule I again.
Consequences - Failure to adhere to the above rules is grounds for immediate deletion of your character. Play by the rules. There's only five of them.
A Killer's Guide to Player Killing
"Listen, friend," the man says as he downs the last of his beer. He pauses for a moment, clucks his tongue against his teeth, then leans forward with his left hand on the table. "Player killing is an artform. There are things you ought to know and do before hunting others for pleasure and profit. I will hint you a few things, mmm?"
The man tenses slightly, then brings his scarred face even closer. "First of all, you cannot just hunt down any body in this city. You have to be well within their range, know what I mean? Some people are too powerful, and have no time for the likes of you. Others are too weak, and are not worth the time or trouble of hunting. Who you are after are those whose circumstances and experiences are similar to your own. Slightly more, slightly less, but they need to be around your level of experience to test your mettle.
"Of course, your level can change a bit if you decide to use valuable items, powerful swords and invar-plated armors and the like. Don't go lookin' for items that you think will help you easily kill your victim. Others are lookin for these, too, and if they see someone weak as yourself walkin' by with that big god-forged polearm, and they want it, you might find a quick knife stuck between -- "
A shadowy figure walks by, causing the man to look down at the table and shut his mouth to the world. Only when the shadow heads out the door does he continue. "Let's be done with this. If at all possible, keep others from following you. You might think it easy to spot your hunter, but there are some whose footsteps cannot be heard and whose faces cannot be seen. You must watch your back.
"Always be prepared. Look for those things that'll give you a slight edge, even the thinnest of edges. Someone who levitates has an advantage over someone who cannot swim. Elixirs, books, even a torch might help under some circumstance. Don't throw out the lowest of things - you can assume your opponent will not.
"If you are tempted to strike first, do it without hesitation. Don't let fear stop you. This can be just as deadly as standing around with a "kill me" sign hanging around your neck. There is an advantage to striking first, but only if you do it, and don't give your target a chance.
"There's a lot to be said for that old warrior's advice, 'Be not afraid to run away, to live and fight another day.' You will be a target for others, same as they are for you. If you are not ready for them, run, run as fast as you can."
The man gives a sidewards glance towards the door. "Finally," he says, slowly turning his head back to you while keeping his eye at the door, "be careful who you target. Lots of people in this city have friends, and if you hunt someone, he might call for backup. Best advice - join a clan. They --"
You nearly spill your ale as the door crashes to the floor. A figure in black, large as an ogre and carrying a notched double-bladed axe, bellows in words you've not heard before as he shakes his fist in the direction of your companion. You look quickly back at your friend, only to notice an empty spot, and when you turn to look the opposite way, you see only the vestiges of a cloak heading out the open window into the darkness beyond...