The first thing you need to know in the Eternal City is how to perform some of the basic commands for movement, interacting with your environment and manipulating items (especially your own.) The first few commands you might want to concern yourself with are those pertaining to your new character. Try these commands:

LOOK <your character's name>: This command string will show you what others see when they look at your character. There shouldn't be anything surprising here if you just completed your character creation.
INV or INVENTORY: this command will give you a list of all the items your character is carrying. The contents of any sacks, backpacks, pouches, etc. will only be shown if these containers are open. Scabbards will automatically display their contents.

STATS or STATISTICS: This command gives you a list of your character's basic attributes. Strength, Dexterity, Perception, etc. are all displayed as well as secondary stats such as Health, Name, etc.

SKILL or SKILLS: Gives a list of all the skills your character knows. It is divided into several columns.

 

First, the Skills/Actions (such as swords, Altene ways, pickpocketing, etc.).
Next is shown the Rank of each particular primary skill and all secondary skills in that category.
Then the level of your knowledge in that skill (such as novice, familiar, etc.)
After this is given your Rank Bonus, which is the number that is added to your chance to hit in combat.
Finally, your Skill Points are shown. These points will be those earned in combat, in use or in practice in that skill which have not yet been spent to improve your skill.

Manipulating the items in your inventory is covered by only a few commands. Knowing the proper commands and syntax will allow you to open and close your containers, light and extinguish light sources, wield weapons and pick up and/or throw away any item you want. Try these:

CLOSE/OPEN SACK <OR BACKPACK, ETC.>: Opens and close the container you indicate.
GET/DROP <ITEM>: Causes your character to pick up, or "get", the item you indicate or drop an item he/she is carrying.
WIELD <WEAPON>/UNWIELD <WEAPON>: Causes you to ready your weapon for combat. Attacks are not possible unless you are both holding and wielding a weapon.
EAT<food item>: Let's you eat something (as long as it's edible) from your immediate surroundings, from your hand or from one of your open containers.
DISCARD <any item you are holding>: Causes you to "throw away" any item you are holding. The command is followed by a "Y/N" query to allow you a chance to keep from discarding something useful. Discarded items are essentially destroyed and removed from the game. This command is very useful should you need to examine a large number of identical items. It is also considered good manners in Iridine to discard useless items (empty sacks, animal parts, etc.) rather than simply let them fall to the ground. Be careful what you discard, however. You can't get it back.
PUT <item> IN <container>/ GET <item> FROM <container>:  A useful set of commands should you ever decide to move a few items from your sack to your pouch, or your scabbard to your backpack, for example.
MY: While only part of a command string, MY is very, very good to know. The game program for Iridine automatically determines which container or item you are referring to, but sometimes it's wrong. If, for example, you were to purchase a gladius from a shopkeeper and use the command put gladius in sack this would normally work pretty well. If, however, someone had left a sack on the floor the game program might assume you mean the sack on the floor. Later, in the dumps, when you attempt to get your new gladius from your sack, you may find it mysteriously missing. (It's in that sack on the floor of the shop you just left.)
To avoid this tragedy (and it can be a tragedy should someone look in that sack while you are gone) simply use the specification my. For example, put gladius in my sack.
TOGGLE-THINK: This command turns on and off your ability to hear the "thoughts" of other characters. For those of you not familiar with MUD-games, this allows characters to communicate with all other "listening" characters from anywhere in the game. A  real lifesaver if you pass out and a friend of yours finds you in the alley.

Looking at or examining items is a must. These commands cover the few necessary actions for determining your surroundings:

LOOK  or LOOK <direction, in, at>: The look command can be used in a variety of ways. A simple look command by itself will show you a more detailed description of your immediate surroundings. The command string look at <item, person or animal> will give you a detailed description of how it looks. look <direction> will show you what is in the next area over in that direction as if you were there and had used the look command. Look in <container> will show you a list of the contents of the container (or, in the case of liquid containers, such as a lantern or flask, how much is left).
GAZE: This command is used by itself and not part of a command string. It gives you a general overview of where you are in Iridine (or the wilderness surrounding it) and notes any landmarks that you could use for navigation.
INSPECT or INSPECT <item>: This command gives you a more detailed description of an item or allows you to search a room or area for anything unusual (SEARCH is better for that, though).
SCAN <direction>: This command is normally used in conjunction with archery and indicates possible targets in the direction indicated. However, it can be used without any necessary archery skill to show who and what can be found in that direction. This command, like look, requires that there be appropriate lighting in the area you are scanning.

Moving about in Iridine is also a relatively simple matter. Try these commands:

GO or WALK <direction>: These commands cause you to move into the next area in the direction you indicate.
LIMP <direction>: The same as walk or go, this command allows you to move from one area to another if you have injured your legs or feet too badly injured to walk. This assumes, however, that you are holding a suitable staff-like object such as a quarterstave.
CRAWL <direction>: When you're too hurt even to limp you can always crawl. Slow moving, but it may one day be the only way out of a deadly situation.
MARK <place name>: This command is used to "mark" a spot for further use (see "walk to" below). It can only be used on main streets or roads. There are only a certain number of marks that you can assign to yourself, however. You also begin the game with certain marks pre-assigned such as the Stone Toga Inn, the Bronze Square, the Riverside Baths and Seneda's Bank. This command allows you to name the place by any name you wish. For example, I used the command string mark leather to mark a spot just north of Venina's Leather Shop.
WALK TO <place>: This command is used to cause you walk automatically to the indicated mark. For example, if you were on a main road or street and entered the command string: walk to toga you would automatically move, via the shortest route, to the Stone Toga Inn.