Player Murder System Guide¶

Overview¶

The murder system tracks player kills and applies consequences for those who engage in player killing (PKing). This system uses both short-term and long-term murder counts to regulate PvP behavior and provide pathways for redemption.

How Murder Counts Work¶

Important: Reporting is Required¶

Murder counts are NOT automatic. When you kill another player, the victim receives a gump (dialog box) asking if they want to report you as a murderer. Only if they choose to report you will you receive murder counts.

The gump appears 4 seconds after death
Victims can choose "Yes" (report) or "No" (don't report)
If multiple players killed the victim, they can choose to report each one individually
Exception: Members of the Thieves Guild cannot report murders (guards won't take reports of a thief's death)
Once someone reports you, they cannot report you again for the same incident for 5 minutes

When you ARE reported, you receive two types of murder counts:

1. Short-Term Murders¶

Duration: Decays over time based on your total count
Under 5 murders: Each count decays after 16 hours of in-game play time
5 or more murders: Each count decays after 24 hours of in-game play time
Purpose: Tracks recent PK activity and determines eligibility for stat loss
Decay: Only decays while you're logged in (based on game time, not real time)

2. Long-Term Murders (Kills)¶

Duration: Decays over time based on your total count
Under 5 long-term kills: Each count decays after 48 hours of in-game play time
5 or more long-term kills: Does not decay — requires a Forged Pardon to clear
Purpose: Your permanent murder record
Visibility: This is your "Kills" count that determined if you're red

Murder Count Decay System¶

Key Points¶

Murder counts only decay while you are online
Counts decay one at a time as their timers expire
When you log out, your decay progress is saved
When you log back in, the system resumes tracking from where it left off

Decay Timeline Examples:¶

Example 1: Player with 3 short-term murders

Each murder will decay after 16 hours (under 5)
Total time to clear all 3: 48 hours of being logged in

Example 2: Player with 6 short-term murders

First 2 murders decay at 24 hours each (while at 6 and 5)
Remaining 4 murders decay at 16 hours each (while below 5)
Total time to clear all 6: (2 × 24) + (4 × 16) = 112 hours of being logged in

Example 3: Player with 10 short-term murders

First 6 murders decay at 24 hours each (from 10 down to 4)
Remaining 4 murders decay at 16 hours each (below 5)
Total time to clear all 10: (6 × 24) + (4 × 16) = 208 hours of being logged in

Stat and Skill Loss on Resurrection¶

Overview¶

If you have 5 or more short-term murders when you die, you will suffer stat and skill loss upon resurrection. This penalty is severe and increases with the number of murders you have accumulated.

How the Penalty Works¶

When you resurrect with 5+ short-term murders:

Your stats (STR, INT, DEX) are reduced
Your skills are reduced
Your short-term murder count is reset to 0 (the penalty "pays off" your short-term murders)
You receive a message showing the exact percentage of loss

Loss Calculation¶

The percentage of stat/skill loss is calculated as follows:

Short-Term Murders	Loss Percentage	You Keep
5	15.0%	85%
6	15.5%	84.5%
7	16.0%	84%
8	16.5%	83.5%
9	17.0%	83%
10	17.5%	82.5%
15	20.0%	80%
20	22.5%	77.5%
25+	25.0% (max)	75%

Formula: Base 15% + 0.5% per murder above 5 (capped at 25% loss)

What Gets Reduced¶

Stats (STR, INT, DEX)¶

Each stat is multiplied by the retention percentage (what you keep)
Minimum floor: Stats won't drop below 10
Example: With 100 STR and 10 murders (17.5% loss), you'd have ~83 STR after resurrection

Skills¶

Each skill is multiplied by the retention percentage
Minimum floor: Skills won't drop below 35.0
Example: With 100.0 Swordsmanship and 10 murders (17.5% loss), you'd have ~82.5 Swordsmanship

Important Notes¶

⚠️ This penalty is severe!

At 5 murders, you lose 15% of all stats and skills
At 10 murders, you lose 17.5% of all stats and skills
At 25+ murders, you lose 25% of all stats and skills (maximum penalty)

💡 The penalty clears your short-term murders

After resurrection, your short-term murder count is reset to 0
This means you "pay off" your murders with the stat/skill loss
Your long-term murders (kills) remain unchanged

🎯 Avoiding the Penalty

Stay below 5 short-term murders - No penalty at 4 or fewer
Use a Forged Pardon - Resets both murder types without penalty
Wait for decay - Let murders decay below 5 before dying
Don't die - The penalty only applies on resurrection

Strategic Considerations¶

When to Take the Penalty:

If you have 5-20 murders and can't afford a pardon
If you need to clear murders quickly to avoid the 20+ lockout for pardons
If you're confident you can regain stats/skills through training

When to Avoid the Penalty:

Use a Forged Pardon if you can afford it (no stat/skill loss)
Stay alive and let murders decay naturally if possible
Keep murders below 5 if you engage in risky PvP

Dungeon Death Penalty¶

If you have 5 or more short-term murders and die inside a dungeon, you are subject to a dungeon re-entry lockout:

Lockout duration: 5 minutes before you can re-enter the dungeon
This applies only to dungeon deaths — dying in the overworld is unaffected

The Corrupt Judge & Pardons¶

Finding the Judge¶

Dryden the Judge has long since abandoned any pretense of impartiality. Rumor places him at The Pirate's Blunder in Buc's Den — a man who asks no questions, provided the coin is right. The nobles of Magincia have been pushing the courts to root out this corruption, and Dryden's prices have risen accordingly.

How to Request a Pardon¶

Find Dryden the Judge at The Pirate's Blunder in Buc's Den
Say: "I request a pardon"
If eligible, the Judge will provide you with a Forged Pardon

Eligibility Requirements¶

You can request a pardon if you meet ALL of the following criteria:

Requirement	Details
Minimum Murders	Must have at least 1 long-term murder (kill)
Maximum Murders	Must have 20 or fewer short-term murders
Previous Pardons	Can only receive 3 pardons maximum from the Judge
Sufficient Gold	Must have enough gold in your bank

Pardon Pricing¶

The cost doubles with each pardon you purchase:

Pardon Number	Cost
1^st Pardon	150,000 gold
2^nd Pardon	300,000 gold
3^rd Pardon	600,000 gold

Note: Gold is automatically withdrawn from your bank account.

Using a Forged Pardon¶

Once you receive a Forged Pardon:

The pardon is blessed — it will not be lost on death
It is bound to you — only you can use it
Keep it in your backpack

There are two ways the pardon is consumed:

On death (automatic): If you die and resurrect with the pardon in your backpack, it is consumed automatically. Stat and skill loss is avoided, and both your short-term and long-term murder counts are reset to 0.

While alive (manual): Double-click the pardon at any time to consume it and receive the same benefit — counts cleared, no penalty.

Upon use you receive a message: "Redemption is granted. Your sins are now but shadows of the past."

Important Notes¶

⚠️ Things to Remember:¶

Murder counts only decay while online - Logging out pauses all decay timers
You can only get 3 pardons total - Choose when to use the Judge's services wisely
Pardons get expensive fast - 150k, 300k, then 600k; plan accordingly
21+ murders locks you out - If you accumulate more than 20 short-term murders, the Judge will not help you
Pardons auto-trigger on resurrection - A pardon in your backpack is consumed automatically if you would suffer stat loss
Pardons are character-bound - You cannot trade or give them to other players
The Judge keeps records - He tracks how many pardons you've purchased

💡 Strategy Tips:¶

Not all kills become counts - Remember, victims must report you, so diplomacy matters
Monitor your murder count - Don't let it exceed 20 if you want the option to buy a pardon
Carry the pardon - Once purchased, keep it in your pack so it auto-triggers if you die
Let murders decay naturally if possible - Save gold by waiting, but this requires long play sessions
Plan your PvP carefully - Each kill has consequences that last many hours
Thieves Guild members can't report - They're criminals themselves, so guards won't take their reports

Summary¶

The murder system is designed to:

Track player killing behavior accurately through reportable murder counts
Punish excessive PKing through severe stat/skill loss on resurrection (5+ murders)
Discourage long-term murderous behavior through time-based decay consequences
Provide a redemption path through the Corrupt Judge for those willing to pay
Balance risk vs. reward for those who choose the darker path

Whether you're a noble hero or a notorious villain, understanding this system will help you navigate the consequences of your actions in the world.

Remember: With great power comes great responsibility... or at least, great expense and stat loss.