30.13 The egg quest, commands and details.

SECTION ONE: THE SPRING CELEBRATION

The egg-melee is a game played, typically, once every Avalon year during the month of Cloudburst - after the first wave of spring ploughing and planting. It tends to be a high-spirited melee with grudges set aside for a short period while the game is in play. The winner of the egg-melee gains, for the day immediately following the conclusion of the quest, an ability called 'fertile touch'. This fertile touch allows him or her to TOUCH all manner of living targets and impart the very essence of spring fertility... with often rather impressive effect.

The precise starting time of the egg-melee varies a little according to the lunar cycles of the particular Avalon year. From the 1st of Cloudburst, at each dawn and dusk you will hear the collective crowing of roosters all across the land. Their call will alert everyone when the start of the egg-melee is due for that Cloudburst. The melee lasts for just one Avalon day and invariably commences with a great chorus of animal braying, lowing, crowing, hollering etc. The start-time is always between 6pm and 2am by the Avalon cloak; fortuitous indeed that Avalon's lunary cycle corresponds neatly to the eventide of the western hemisphere of distant planet Earth.

SECTION TWO: RULES OF THE GAME

The objective is to throw as many eggs at as many people as possible. Eggs may be retrieved from the dispensers at each of the four city squares, at the Meeting Place, and at three further changeable locations. If you want to receive an egg stand before a dispenser and type REQUEST EGG. Usually you can hold twenty-four at any time.

You gain points based on the experience and skill of your target, and the distance of your throw. You lose points for being hit by an egg.

THROW EGG AT <target> or THROW EGG AT <target> <direction>
Long throws take more time to execute, and are thus more easily dodged, but earn more points. You can throw in a straight line as long as you can SQUINT so an egg chucked at somebody standing by your side is obviously worth a lot less than an ideal egg-hurl: all the way down the great north road, for instance.

EGGWHO shows the points of everyone playing in the egg-melee, and EGGTOPS shows the highest ranked players. Higher ranked players are worth more points.

After being hit by an egg you will become a bad egg for a short period, during which time you are invulnerable to further eggs. Protected people may not throw eggs or be hit by eggs. Pacifists and duellists may participate freely in the egg-melee; without restriction. The eggs are harmless and created by a little divine glitterdust, so all may feel free to throw them without violating any peace codes.

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