
================================ The Town Level ================================

Every adventure begins in a town.  The town consists of either four or
nine buildings (each with an entrance), some townspeople, and a wall which
surrounds the town.  The first time you are in town it will be daytime, but
note that the sun rises and sets (rather instantly) as time passes.

--- Townspeople ---

     Towns contains many different kinds of people.  There are the street
urchins, young children who will mob an adventurer for money, and seem to come 
out of the woodwork when excited.  Blubbering idiots are a constant annoyance, 
but not harmful.  Public drunks wander about the town singing, and pose no 
threat to anyone.  Sneaky rogues hang about watching for a likely victim to 
mug.  And finally, what town would be complete without a swarm of half drunk 
warriors, who take offense or become annoyed just for the fun of it.

     Most of the townspeople should be avoided by the largest possible distance
when you wander from store to store.  Fights will break out, though, so be 
prepared.  Since your character grew up in this world of intrigue, no 
experience is awarded for killing the town inhabitants, though you may acquire 
treasure.

--- Other Towns ---

     If you are on a wilderness map, you will encounter other towns.  If your
race originates in a small town, finding a larger town will allow you to do 
some more extensive shopping, and maybe sell some of the weapons and armour
you've been carrying around.  The large towns are Khazad Dum, Belegost, 
Menegroth and Gondolin; the small ones are Gladden Fields, Eriador, Ossiriand,
Taur-Im-Duinath, Ephel Brandir and Ered Luin South.


--- Stores ---

     To enter a store, simply move onto the entrance, which is represented by 
a number from 0 to 9.  Once inside a store, you will see the name and race of 
the store owner, the name of the store, the maximum amount of cash that the 
store owner will pay for any one item, and the store inventory.  The price of 
items on sale depends on their base cost, how well your and the store owner's 
races get along*, your Charisma, and the innate greediness of the store owner. 
Some shopkeepers have really small purses, which can force you to sell 
valuable items for a pittance.  On the other hand, these same people hold 
plenty of sales.  Occasionally, shopkeepers retire, and the store comes under 
new management.

     * Everyone likes their own race best.
     * Elves and Dwarves detest each other.
     * Nobody loves a Petty-Dwarf.

     You will also see an (incomplete) list of available commands.  Note that
many of the commands which work in the dungeon work in the stores as well, but 
some do not, especially those which involve using objects.

     Stores do not always have everything in stock.  As the game progresses, 
they will get new items, so check from time to time.  Any item that you sell 
them will eventually be sold to another adventurer.  Note that the inventory 
of a store will not change while you are in town, even if you save the game 
and reload.  If you have a lot of spare gold, you can purchase every item in a 
store, which will induce the store owner to bring out new stock, and perhaps 
even retire.

     Store owners will not buy harmful or useless items.  If an object is un-
identified, they will pay you some base price for it.  Once they have bought 
it they will immediately identify the object.  If it is a good object, they 
will add it to their inventory.  If it was a bad bargain, they simply throw 
the item away.  In any case, you may receive some knowledge of the item type.
Travelling merchants do not put out the stock you sell them - see below for
more details.

The General Store ("1")
     The General Store sells foods, drinks, cloaks, torches, lamps, oil, 
     shovels, picks, spikes, and ammo.  All of these items and some others can 
     be sold back to the General Store for money.  There is a General Store in
     every town.

The Armoury ("2")
     The Armoury is where the town's armour is fashioned.  All sorts of pro- 
     tective gear may be bought and sold here.  Armouries can only be found in
     large towns.

The Weaponsmith's Shop ("3")
     The Weaponsmith's Shop is where the town's weapons are fashioned.  Hand 
     and missile weapons may be purchased and sold here, along with arrows, 
     bolts, and shots.  Weaponsmiths can only be found in large towns.

The Temple ("4")
     The Temple deals in healing and restoration potions, as well as blessing 
     scrolls, word of recall scrolls, some approved priestly weapons, as 
     well as prayer books.  There is a Temple in every town

The Alchemy shop ("5")
     The Alchemy Shop deals in all types of potions and scrolls.  There is an 
     Alchemist shop in every town.

The Magic User's Shop ("6")
     The Magic User's Shop deals in all sorts of rings, wands, amulets, rods, 
     and staffs.  Only to be found in large towns.

The Black Market ("7")
     The Black Market will sell and buy anything at extortionate prices.  
     However, it occasionally has VERY good items in it.   This store often 
     sells large quantities of useful scrolls or potions, and stacks of 
     magical devices.  This is where you turn abundant gold into useful gear,
     but you'll have to go to a large town to find one.  The shopkeepers are 
     not known for their tolerance...

Your Home ("8")
     This is your house where you can store objects that you cannot carry on 
     your travels, or will need at a  later date.  You may check the contents 
     of your home when in the dungeon using one of the options available 
     through the '~' command.  It is only (naturally enough) in your home town,
     but you may also move house - see below.

The Bookseller ("9")
     This shop carries all low-level spellbooks, and will purchase any book 
     you find.  Spellcasters beware - these are only available in large towns.

The Travelling Merchant ("0")
    This shop appears only in small towns.  It sells a range of General Store
    type items, weapons and armour, but at a premium price.  Anything you sell
    the Merchant will be stashed in his travelling bag rather than resold 
    straight away.  It is also possible to put in an order for the regular
    spellcaster books, and most potions and scrolls that have already been
    identified; if you return later, the merchant may have stocked some of 
    your desired item.

---Moving House---

There may come a time when you want to leave your home town - particularly if
it is too small.  Once you have reached another town, you will notice that 
you do not have a house there.  If you choose, you can move there; simply use
the 'H' (or '$' for roguelike keys) command and your house will have appeared
next time you return to your new home town.

