NPC; the Non-Player Character in Avalon

NPC stands for Non-Player Character.

Avalon has many and they should be considered as the same as a regular player in terms of skills, abilities, inventory, strengths and weaknesses, restrictions and characteristics. They have to enter commands like a player. They have health and mana, unbalance and equilibrium. They die when they are damaged below zero health. They log in and out like a player. Many have guild membership and/or citizenship. All have professions and some have multi-professions (special QNPC: Quest Non-Player Characters). You fight against them or with them like you do with other players. How good an NPC is will depend on their NPC LEVEL.

Some of the NPCs are quest-associated, some are independent but many are members of guilds or citizens of cities and exist to help tutor the young, protect the weak and even up the balance in a combat of unreasonable odds against foreign invaders. The CRY <city enemy> command is used to not only alert the barrack guardians but also reaches the ears of your fellow citizens and guildmates including any NPCs.

NOTE: those who do not wish to interact with NPCs can IGNORE NPC and these helper characters/quest persona will not show up on your QW or WHO lists.

#NPC CATEGORIES

NPCs in Avalon can be divided into three categories: Regulars, Questors, and Challengers.

REGULAR NPCs are the most common. These are found in each guild, in all cities, and range between low, middling and high NPC LEVEL. They exist to support and help and tutor and protect and offer opposition (when you decide to take one on). The REGULAR NPCs have a few important status:

1. NPCs with "trainer" status are found in guilds and city taverns and appear on your GMW and CIT lists. They will fight willingly and try to help train an opponent by combating you just like a player would except the "trainer" will NEVER kill. The killing blow is replaced by a knockout blow, rendering you unconscious - ending the fight - and in many cases giving you a chance to type ADVICE <npc name> to receive instructions on your weaknesses, ways to improve, etc. HELP TRAINER for detailed info.
2. NPCs with "guardian" status are also guild-members and/or citizens but instead of training individuals, these NPCs are sworn to defend the streets or locations of their homeland - to come to the aid of those in need, fellow guild/citymates facing overwhelming odds against declared enemies. The "guardian" NPC responds to the CRY and CALL commands. See HELP CRY and HELP DEFENDERS for more info.
3. NPCs with "altruist" status can be a member of your guild or a guild in your city or a fellow citizen - and if this is the case you will find the NPC ready, willing and able to answer your call for support: defending the city against invasion, fighting under instruction alongside you, evening the odds when the deck is stacked against you. The NPC "altruist" will not venture into foreign cities but will operate across its home territory's sphere of influence. See HELP ALTRUISM for more details.

QUESTOR NPCs are those whose role is to be part of some Quest or "boss" for an area of the land, like Yossarian (keymaster for the Knight profession's first crusade). It is advised you avoid QUESTOR NPCs unless you are specifically required to overcome one for your character's natural progression.

CHALLENGER NPCs are those of very high level, generally associated with a major quest or CCC region of the land (like Goblin Town) and represent perhaps the most difficult opponents you will face in the land. Often, like Pallando the Star-Sorcerer, the NPC combines skills from more than one profession (in his case Sorcerer and Seer). Tackling the CHALLENGER NPC alone can be fatal. Proceed with great caution!

#The TEN NPC Levels

1. "scholar" low-skilled and without profession, typically equivalent to a player in the militia course with a good knowledge of how to get around, how to hit and heal but at a level appropriate to the person being fought.
2. "apprentice" never above Master in guild skills, mediocre reaction speed though relatively quick at healing of standards; good opposition for LWs.
3. "junior" good professional skill development but never specialised or advanced or crowned abilities; modest attack, good healing of standards but mediocre against innovative aggressor; good opposition for ambitious MWs.
4. "beyond M*" well developed professional skills, no specs, advanced or multiple crowned abilities; average attack, good defence and healing though mediocre reaction speed and tends to only use standards/well-known fighting methods.
5. "midlevel" crowned professional skills but nothing beyond; average attack, defence and healing with middling reaction and flight-or-fight sense depending on the dangers faced and state of health/afflictions; no memory or pursuit or revenge.
6. "highlevel" fully-skilled in profession but decidedly average in ability usage; middling reactions; good healing of the standards; short memory, only local pursuit, no revenge.
7. "truefighter" crowned in professional skills, above average ability usage; fast reactions; quick healing unless clever methods or blindspots are used; often tailors attacking to defeat specific profession of opponent; short memory, local pursuit and revenge.
8. "contender" crowned professional skills, fast ability usage, very fast reactions on all basics including healing, full use of professional skills in attack, offence changes according to opponent, able to pursue and avenge, usually has a memory for past defeats and the desire to 'best' recent killers.
9. "paradigm" crowned profession, specialist, very fast in all ability usage, healing and reactions, makes use of all abilities at his/her disposal for attack and defence, able to pursue, memory for past fights, capable of advance planning and ambush and working in groups (be it players or NPCs), knowledge of most areas in Avalon and many "Quest Event" formats including sands, immortals, battle, flag and torchquest races. 10. "perfect"** crowned in all skills, specs and advanced abilities of the profession, near-instant reactions attack, defence and healing, everything the "paradigm" can do but additionally gifted with "lightning intuition" which means your weak-points will be exploited, his/her attacks will innovate and target most effective way to kill you and your group, long-term memory of enemies and riends, steadfast contender in any quest event, alignment and demeanour attributes for autonomous decisions (e.g. taking a dislike and starting a fight without overt provocation).

##QUESTOR NPCs:

Yossarian is a QUESTOR NPC of Level 7 to 9 depending on the opponent. He should be avoided by anyone not of the Knight profession since he has special powers versus non-Knights. He is part of the First Crusade and holds the key to the doorway that leads to the Holy Grail area. Knights seeking specialisation will have to overcome Yossarian on ten consecutive occasions. He fights at Level 7 when the crusader begins this quest, moving to Level 8 once the crusader holds five victories and Level 9 when the crusader reaches eight wins.

##REGULAR NPCs ("trainer" "guardian" "altruism"):

1.	Trablon (L7 I:44)	Alchemists of Mercinae
2.	Grethmog (L7 I:0)	Sorcerers of Thakria
3.	Siratti (L7 I:0)	Warlocks of Thakria
4.	Ophare (L7 I:0)	Apostles of Silverfalls
5.	Frederik (L7 I:44)	Templars of Silverfalls
6.	Thrathgar (L8 I:0)	Archangellian Knight
7.	Konann (L8 I:0)	Parrian Knight
8.	Ruthmadoc (L5 I:0)	Bards of Mercinae
9.	Gallifray (L6 I:0)	Seers of Thakria
10.	Sudo (L5 I:0)	Cavaliers of Thakria
11.	Nayzak (L6 I:0)	Mages of Mercinae
12.	Radel (L6 I:0)	Knights of Mercinae
13.	Kilam (L7 I:0)	Necromancers of Goblin Town
14.	Sumaca (L5 I:0)	Loremasters of Thakria
15.	Saraneth (L6 I:47)	Astrologers of Parrius
16.	Kinuran (L7 I:44)	Rangers Guild
17.	Ferdinand (L8 I:46)	Craftmasters of Silverfalls
18.	Juno (L6 I:0)	Wizards of Astrea's Delta
19.	Amblard (L7 I:21)	Templars of Silverfalls
20.	Esteban (L7 I:48)	Druids of Mercinae
21.	Senrar (L9 I:0)	Animists of Mercinae
22.	Findoriel (L7 I:0)	Mystics of Mercinae
23.	Marcello (L7 I:0)	Artisans of Parrius
24.	Turambar (L7 I:0)	Apostles of Silverfalls
25.	Angarak (L7 I:0)	Assassins of Thakria

##CHALLENGE NPCs - For Everyone, Usually Requiring Group to Defeat

Orr is a Level 7 "Knight" profession NPC. Tarakin is a Level 6 "Mage" profession NPC. Daedalus is a Level 6 "Loremaster" NPC. Azrael is a Level 7 "Sorcerer" NPC. Pallando is the brother of Pangyron and is a Level 8 NPC with Seer and Sorcerer profession combined. Galahad is an avatar of the first ordained Avalonian and combines the Knight and Mage professions as a Level 9 NPC. Helkarakse is another ordained avatar with complete mastery of the Sorcerer profession and the ability to fight at Level 9 or Level 10 depending how many are ranged against him.

Many of the NPCs have their own individual help/history files so you can type HELP followed by the NPC's name to get more info, e.g. HELP YOSSARIAN.