At 02:23 PM 7/14/99 -0500, silky@... wrote:

>There was a guy like this on Veeshan last night in crush - folks like that
>are gonna give barding a bad name.

I saw him, too, in the newbie area near Kelethin while hunting black wolves
for pelts to make patchwork to sell or give to cool newbies. I was amazed
to see so high-level a bard there, where I'm a bit out of place at 15th.
Checking him closer I found he was 3rd level. He probably became anonymous
after he started the constant auction for rare, expensive items.

Some friends and I are starting new characters so we can play together at
the same level. We've passed a bit of equipment down to them, but nothing
that would be really noticable as immensely out of line. It's hard to draw
the line between reasonable help extended to new characters, whether
stranger, friend, or your own, and outright twinking, but there does seem
to be a line.

I also have a friend who has concentrated heavily on fletching. He's made
a lot of money and gotten some fairly nice equipment in trade or from
grateful customers, so he could appear a little twinked to a casual
observer, but in fact he's worked for it. He's 7th level and I'm 15th. We
group sometimes and I act as his body guard and purchasing agent. With me
he can go more dangerous places to sell his nice bows, and I can get way
better prices on expensive materials, on which I get a commission. So he's
a legitimate business elf and I'm a legitimate partner. Today I even acted
as agent for him, since I had time and Selo-speed, and sold a very
expensive bow in Freeport, to good profit for both of us. He made it and I
sold it to another player, all up front and legit.

It's clear why you mostly can't make clear, solid rules, but it does seem
there should be some sort of limits.

Thrush/Bob