NLarn manual

The web port adds a few lines to its copy (auto-explore X, </> walking to stairs, letters in the inventory, the Enter command menu); this page is the original. Also here: the upstream change log (0.3.0, 2009, to 0.8.1) and the licence.

Movement            Running

 7 8 9  y k u        Y K U
  \|/    \|/          \|/
 4-5-6  h-.-l        H- -L
  /|\    /|\          /|\
 1 2 3  b j n        B J N

You can also use the number pad with num lock off.
Running means moving into one direction until interrupted. g or /, followed by a direction key, will similarly make your run.

You can also play with the mouse: click a spot on the map to travel there, click a monster to fire your wielded ranged weapon at it, or, if you wield no ranged weapon, to walk towards it for a melee attack. Right-click yourself to cast a spell that affects you.


Auto-travel

v   voyage (travel) to a location on the level
V   continue travelling

You can select the travel target by moving the cursor or by typing the desired feature's symbol (e.g. _ for an altar). Subsequent key presses will move the cursor around if there are more than one of the desired features on the level. You can return the cursor to your character by pressing @. When finished, press ENTER to start the journey. When a foe comes into sight, travelling will be aborted automatically and can be continued with V when the enemy gets out of sight. Whenever a targeting cursor is shown — for travelling as well as for aiming spells and ranged attacks — you can click a map cell with the mouse to move the cursor there, and click it again to confirm.


Other actions

a   cast the previously cast spell again
A   desecrate an altar
c   cast a spell
C   close a door
d   drop an item
D   disarm a trap
f   fire a ranged weapon
F   wash yourself at a fountain
g   move until something interesting is found
i   open the inventory window
o   open a door or a chest
p   pray at an altar
P   display tax status
q   drink a potion or from a fountain
r   read a book or a scroll
R   remove gems from a throne
s   search for traps
S   sit on a throne
t   throw an item
T   take off a worn/wielded item
w   wait/rest up to one mobul or until healed
W   wear/wield an item
x   exchange the primary and secondary weapon

<   climb up stairs/volcanic shaft
>   climb down stairs/volcanic shaft or enter a building
,   pick up items
$   display the bank account balance
:   look at the location you are standing on
;   look at another location
.   rest one turn (alternate key: 5)
\   show a list of identified objects
?   this help screen (alternate key: F1)


Control Keys

TAB     show worn equipment
CTRL+A  configure auto-pickup settings
CTRL+D  list discovered landmarks
CTRL+D  page down in the inventory, spell list and messages
CTRL+L  redraw the screen
CTRL+P  configure presets for new games
CTRL+Q  quit the game
CTRL+R  recall message history
CTRL+S  save and exit the game
CTRL+U  page up in the inventory, spell list and messages
CTRL+V  print the game's version


Game Time
The game time is counted in turns. Usually, moving a single step consumes one turn, but may, depending on your speed, take less or more time. All other creatures in the caverns also vary largely in their rapidness. There is rumor about magical items that may affect the speed of an animate being.

More complex actions, such as using an item, consume multiple turns. Whenever you are concerned with something for a while and your health is endangered, you are offered to abort your current deed. Unfortunately, all turns spent so far are lost.

The larnian unit of time is the mobul. It consists of one hundred turns.


The Inventory

When browsing through the inventory, valid actions for the selected item are shown at the bottom of the window. The key used to invoke the action is displayed in braces. To jump to the first item of a type, press the glyph of that item type. For example, pressing ! selects the first potion in the inventory.

Dialog Windows

Close a dialog window with enter/space to select an option or press ESC to close the window without making a choice.
You can move dialogues with Ctrl and the cursor keys, or by dragging their title bar with the mouse.
Scrollable windows can be scrolled with the mouse wheel or by clicking their ^ and v arrows; holding the button keeps scrolling.


Spell Casting

When opening the spell casting window by pressing (c) you'll get a list of spells known by your character.

The first column shows the mnemonic of the selected spell, which can be used to jump to a spell by typing the letters.
The second column shows the spell's name.
The third column shows the level of the spell, which is used to determine the MP usage of that spell.
The forth column shows the character's knowledge level of that spell. The higher the knowledge level is, the more powerful is the effect of the spell.


Wizard Mode Actions

Wizard mode is used to debug the game; therefore it is impossible to die in wizard mode. You will gain insight into otherwise hidden details of the game. Once you enter wizard mode, there is no way back; any progress made during wizard mode will not make it to the high score list.
When starting the game with the wizard mode command line option (-w), every item in the game will be available in the store.

CTRL+W  activate wizard mode
+       teleport down one level
-       teleport up one level
CTRL+T  teleport within a level
CTRL+X  raise experience level
*       add 1000 gp to bank account
&       heal yourself
CTRL+F  toggle the full visibility of the entire map
CTRL+C  combat simulation