What is Dawn of the Ages?

To repeat from the main page:

"Dawn of the Ages is a text-based roleplaying game set in the world of Ayreon. More popularly known as a Multi-User Dungeon, or MUD, Dawn of the Ages (DoA) is a mix of fantasy and medieval history, replete with familiar and far-away lands, creatures daunting and exotic, and magic galore...."

Running since 1999, Dawn of the Ages is a MUD written entirely in the Java™ programming language. DoA also uses Scheme (a flavor of Lisp) for many of its mobile programs, skills, spells, and support. The DoA codebase is stable and secure, needing reboots only every other new moon.

Dawn of the Ages offers many of the same professions, skills, spells, and commands you will find at other MUDs. We have socials, emotes, aliases, mobile programs, player housing and more. Where DoA differs from other muds is in certain atmosphere-enhancing features:

  • Random Encounters

    Mobs from one area can pop up into other, completely unexpected areas. Other mobs tailored to certain levels of characters can appear to challenge the characters at any time. Mobs are no longer restricted to one set of armor or weapon, but can wear any armor or wield at random any weapon, even those considered limited.

  • Populations

    A derivative of the random encounters, areas may be populated with creatures and objects from wholly different areas, setting up the possible encounter with that demon from the Abyss in the local cornfield.

  • Chat

    DoA offers chat channels, both private and public, for its players. One is no longer limited to gossips, tells, and group tells, but can carry on a conversation with online friends (even if they DO belong to a different clan.)

  • Scripts

    Similar to mobile programs, scripts allow for timed programs by the mobiles, enhancing their artificial intelligence. Quests, religious induction, and other programs on DoA use these.

  • Materials

    On DoA the materials your characters wear do count! Gold is heavy, and etherealness weighs next to nothing. Armor is determined by level, wear slot and material type, but so is the weight, so if you want your character to wear those heavy adamantite greaves, hope that he's got the strength to bear it.

  • Clans

    The clan system on DoA is unique in several respects, including the clan powers each clan derives from its own clan item. The wars between the clans are similar to the game of "capture the flag" where members of opposing clans (and sometimes of other clans as well) attempt to strip its enemy of its clan powers by stealing the enemy's clan item.

  • Careers

    Characters are not tied down to skills and spells given by a profession, but can enhance their training by specializing in a career. These careers open up unique abilites to the character, such as the striking powers of the dragon ninja and the magical imbuements of the enchanter. All careers get at least an additional fourteen skills and spells to enhance their profession.

  • Reincarnates

    Reincarnates (or reincs, for short) are the greater races found on DoA. They are the legendary races, beings whose abilities and experiences are far above those of lesser kin. Reincs have talents unique to their races, inborn at the time of their creation.

  • Variety

    Because of the number careers and races open to characters, DoA's variety is vastly superior to what is found on most MUDs. Include with these the powers of the clans and a player can entertain himself for years just finding the right combination.

Dawn of the Ages is constantly improving itself, cared for by a stable core of coders and builders who have played MUDs for years. They are always open to suggestions, and encourage players to take part in the discussions, especially in the forums.

Come roam the lands of Ayreon, then, and take part in the Dawn of a new gaming experience!