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This is a test/development page for the Shadows of Isildur wikipage

Shadows of Isildur (MUD)
Shadows of Isiludur is a RPI (Roleplay Intensive) MUD based on the series of books by J.R.R. Tolkien and opened in the public early 2003. SoI, as it's commonly referred, differs from many other MUD's in that death is permanent and characters are approved by application only, requiring all actions in the game to be in-character with a minimal use of out-of-character communication.

Gameplay features the conflict between Gondor and Mordor, opening in the year 2460. Time has since lapsed to 2477, leaving a ruined Osgiliath after Boromir and his army pushed Mordor back after its fall, which was a featured HRPT (Highly Recommended Playing Time) November of 2005. Now, Lord Eradan's Battalion are charged, along with several other Lords, to reclaim the territories of the Ithilien, a highly contested area spanning between Osgiliath and Minas Morgul. Non-combative characters can enjoy several other activities, most notably Shadow of Isildur's branch-based [crafting system] and Fellowships, allowing for multiple professions to take raw goods and produce finished pieces either as a member of a Fellowship or on their own, with each playing their own role in creating conflict within the game. Currently the game features over 2,000 crafts in 51 categories, with new ones added constantly.

The code is written in C and multiple MySQL databases, though progress has been underway to convert the codebase to C++; its original code is from Harshlands, a derivative of DikuMUD, and has been in constant development since then. In late 2004, the games' engine was released back to the community, boasting both 6 years of development by Harshlands and 3 years of additional development. In March of 2007, it was announced that a new release would be distributed as well.

Playable Game Locations
Shadows of Isildur features several playable areas.

Gondor
While all of Gondor technically exists in the game, in order to keep the conflicts close and playerbase together, the playable areas of Gondor are the city of Minas Tirith, Osgiliath, Anorien, Pelennor, and North and South Ithilien. Characters have been known and it is not uncommon to travel to and from a large number of other places as part of their background or 'breaks' in their gameplay.

Anorien and Pelennor
Situated between Minas Tirith and Osgiliath, these areas constitute the majority of farmlands and open areas for most of the playerbase. Pelennor is situated south of the Anorien, which is guarded by the natural barriers of the sea. It is a feudal territory owned and operated by Lord Astirian and patrolled by his Wardens and Squires; an enforcer clan open to players. Since Osgiliath fell it has been more actively developed, and continues to do so as places such as Wardog's Tavern, Cherry Blossom Farm, Greenleaf Winery, Hawk and Dove, White Stag Hunting Company, and more continue to grow with active player support.

Minas Tirith
The White City, Minas Tirith, acts as the hub for the majority of the playerbase. True to its inspiration, it is built in a series of 'circles' on a mountainside, each a little more classy the higher you go. Featured here are many player owned or run shops and taverns, most notably the Battered Shield in the first circle, The Alehouse in the second circle, and the Wizard Inn in the third circle, offering a good chance for players to meet up. This capitol city of Gondor is also the center of the Fellowship system, complete with a council and Fellowship Halls. Notable clans here are the Minas Tirith Guard and Cityworkers, the latter being specially suited to take in new players and show them the ropes.

Osgiliath
Once a booming city, over the past years Osgiliath has slowly declined until it was finally ransacked by Mordor's armies, only to be recovered shortly after by the efforts of Boromirs army. Now it is a base of operations for Lord Eradans Battalion, a group of soldiers tasked to reclaim Ithilien territories by force. Supported by a fort system, Both these Battalions and Mordor battle for control over minor outposts without staff involvement by use of special crafts and room programs, requiring regular visits of food and supplies for its upkeep.

Mordor
general info about mordor

Minas Morgul
info about minas morgul

Tur Edendor
info about tur edendor

Fellowships
Put all kinds of neat info about Fellowships in here.