How to Become an Immortal

Because of the volatile nature of this subject, this document has been written like a FAQ instead of a standard help file.



Q: What are the requirements to become an ainu (immortal)?

1. You must be a member of the Two Towers community with an active interest in joining Valinor as a contributing team member.

2. You must have experienced a good portion of the game, and your immorting character must have reached at least level 15.

3. You must have at least one character that has reached an age of 5 days.

4. You must have a clean criminal record for at least 7 days.

5. If a Newbie Maiar is deainured, he/she will be reset to level six (6). However, this will be decided on a case by case basis.

Once you have accomplished the above, you can use the "immort apply" command, but be aware: if it is determined that you have been involved in cheating of any form, you will not be considered as a candidate. The decision of the Powers on this matter is final.

Q: What information will "immort apply" ask me for?

1. You will be asked to list all your characters that you play or have played, especially any that have been nuked, warned or previously deainured. Failure to do so will result in your immediate deainurment or even a nuke. You should also name the characters that use the same connection/ip address that you use, but that aren't your alts.

2. Create a 10-line paragraph describing a (real life) room with which you are familiar. Do so in the style of a room in arda, as if you were inside the room, looking at it. Use EXACTLY ten (10) lines. If you can't follow directions in the application, your life as an immortal will be quite short-lived.

Q: When I become an ainu, do I have to give up my mortal character?

Yes, the mortal character that requests immortality will be the new ainu. There are rules regarding when you can play your other mortal characters once you become immortal.

Q: How often can I play a mortal after I have an immortal character?

Let's just say that there are deadlines that must be met as a coder for this MUD. We need ainur who are able and willing to contribute to the game by coding new areas. Especially during the first month or two after you immort, you will find that learning to code will require at least a couple hours each day. If you are unable or unwilling to put in the time, then you should reconsider becoming an ainu. Until your first (newbie) project is complete, you will not be able to play your mortals at all.

Q: What if I am a GM or AGM? Can I still immort and become an ainu?

Yes and No. There are special rules and restrictions that apply, in addition to the ones listed above, which are outlined below:


1. You cannot be GM or AGM, or have an alt that is a GM or AGM at the time of applying or immorting. You need to sever your ties at least temporarily while going through the process of acclimating yourself to your new duties and responsibilities as an ainu.

2. No Maia with a GM/AGM alt will be allowed to exceed the rank of Maia.

3. The *Maia character* must be as active in Valinor as his/her GM/AGM character or suffer deainuring. There will be no compromise on this requirement. If you think you cannot put in as much time on your Ainu character as you do on your GM/AGM character, then immorting is not for you.

Q: What will I be doing as an ainu?

The language we use is a variation of the 'C' language called LPC. It uses a custom library created especially for our mud. You will learn to create rooms, creatures and objects using this code. It is important to remember that at least half of your time will be spent writing (English) descriptions.

Q: Do ainur do anything but code?

There are administrative ranks for ainur, but they are higher ranks, and all of these administrators have done a LOT of coding on their way up to their present level. In short, yes, all ainur code as their primary job for at least the first two or three immortal ranks. So if you don't want to code, you better think twice.

Q: Will I be able to help out my friends or do stuff to people I don't like once I become an ainu?

Yeah, right. That's a good way to get nuked!

Q: Will I at least be able to talk to my friends once I immort?

Once you immort, you will not be allowed to be part of the mortal world until you enter QC. Make sure you say all your goodbyes before you immort.

Q: Will I be able to nuke when I become an ainu?

Well, not at first for sure. Nuke is a very high level command that only the top ranks have access to. Eventually, anything is possible.

Q: Will I get to be a Vala if I immort?

There will be no more Valar, as the Vala rank denotes a founder. However, the rank of Power (equal in responsibility to that of Vala) is achievable, although it is very difficult for most. Only a select few get a shot at that, but if you work hard for us, and show that you can be trusted, it is a definite possibility.

Q: Do I get to change my name once I become an ainu?

You do not have the option to select a new name once you become an immortal. You must complete the requirements of the newbie project before you can select one of the Tolkien'ish hero names.

Q: Do you guys only allow the "good" players to immort?

Generally speaking we consider a person's attitude toward the game more than their alignment. If you have played within the rules, and don't have a history of trying to exploit every loophole you see, then you have a better than average shot. As an immortal, we are more interested in the person behind the characters than the characters you have played. As part of the process, you will be required to furnish the names of all the characters you have played.

Q: What if I have a criminal record?

That is fine. Our main requirement is that you do not commit crimes for one week before requesting to be immorted. This is because of the lawsys, and we want the victims to be able to get their law-entitled reimbursements. Similarly, you are not allowed to immort if you have outstanding fines or are wanted.

Q: Do I have to be a master coder to be an ainu?

Not at all. LPC (the programming language we use) is fairly easy to pick up, and we have lots of people and sample code laying around to help you out if needed and you will have some time to learn, but for many, writing descriptions is the most difficult part. We can teach you how the code works, but we cannot teach you to write in English.

Q: What if I find that I don't like it or can't manage being an ainu?

During your trial newbie period, if you can't make your deadlines, or find that you just don't like being an ainu, then you will be returned to Arda as a mortal. Unless you can commit the time and really want to work, you should not try to become an immortal.

Q: Any last advice before I apply?

Yes, the language -is- fairly easy to pick up. However, if you have had any prior programming experience then it will be easier for you. If phrases like 'function calls', 'variable initialization', and 'loops' are brand new to you, then you will have more reading and more work to do. We're here to teach, and everyone wants you to succeed, but the effort to learn must come from you. This effort may require more time for some than for others.

We cannot teach you to write in English. If English is not your first language, or you have under-developed grammar skills, then you will require more time for writing your project. We have a process of quality control where your project is reviewed for both programming errors and for grammar and spelling errors. If your descriptions start out poor or non-existant, this process can take so much time that your project falls behind schedule and you may not make the deadlines.

None of us are perfect, which is why we have QC, but you must make an honest assessment of your own skills, because the deadlines are your responsibility. Not making the deadlines is grounds for deainurment.

In the newbie domain, you will have deadlines for completing your project. Now, before you immort, you should examine your schedule for the coming weeks. Do you have the time to dedicate to learning and creating? We are aware that sometimes your real life situation will change after immorting. Once you choose to immort, however, you assume the responsibility of completing your newbie project. You may choose to be deainured and attempt to remort again at a later date when you have more time. However, you won't be 'on hold' as an immortal until you have the time.

This time is your proving ground. It's the time to learn to be an immortal. It is actually one of the most difficult times in regards to deadlines, reading, and learning. Being an immortal can be very rewarding. It's extremely fun! It is extremely tiring! It's worth it. We hope you have the time to dedicate to meeting your obligations. Remember, though, it is YOUR responsibility to meet your deadlines.

Q: After I apply, how long does it take to become an ainu?

After you apply (using 'immort apply') you can use the 'immort status' command to check on the status of your application. If there are already too many new ainur being trained, you will be in a queue for approval. Once a spot opens up and you are the next in the queue, the admin vote on your application. If you pass the vote, you will be immorted at your next convenience. The wait for the whole process is defined by how long the queue is, and you can see where you are in the queue by using the 'immort status' command. In Valinor, patience is truly a virtue!

Q: I was an ainu before, but was demorted. When can I re-apply?

If you have already been an ainu and were demorted, you can re-apply after six months, at which point your application will be reviewed and considered again. Depending on the reasons behind why you were demorted the last time, in addition to the usual compatibility and potential factors, the administration reserves the right to deny your application without question. Although we have no problems giving people a second or even a fifth (or eighth chance), some only get so many before it's clear they simply do not belong in Valinor.



Should you have other questions regarding immorting this FAQ does not cover, or you cannot find the answer anywhere else, feel free to talk to any available ainu. We are always on the lookout for new members who are willing to help us make the Two Towers Mud bigger and better than it is!

See also:    immort,  valinor