>Nep/Seb -- thanks for spearheading this!
>
>1- Have phylacs been toned down since the Zors/Ist era? Do
>they crumble now?

Toned down since the Ist era in the sense that scavenged phylacteries will eventually decay over time. This was a post-Istendil-era change... I'm not positive on the timing but I think this happened before Zorszaul?

>2- How does the sleek wand system work? Are characters
>randomly assigned a set of sleek wands or is there an
>algorithm based on something like class/race?

Random.

>3- What is your explanation for why orcs have it so rough (and
>why so flew play them) -- why was the ability to control
>healing at the pit removed -- why do they only have one recall
>point, lodged between two goodie/neutral recall points

It's an all-offense no-defense style of character. Not a lot of people play those well, and those who do may often prefer a traditional cabal.

They have only one recall point because there's currently (and for the foreseeable future) only one clan. :)

>4- Who played Zorszaul?

Theories abound. The last rumor I heard was that he had joined the staff on some other MUD.

>5- Having never explored Hell or ST (yet), which solo
>character has a shot at exploring, say, 25-50% of either/both
>of these areas.. where exploring equals having the ability to
>detect hidden mobs/objects and killing mobs that hold
>interesting items.

Hell - a solo explorer can easily check out everything up to and including the First Circle. Beyond that, a solo explorer is probably going to have trouble. A good conjurer who isn't afraid to burn some con probably can figure a lot out, but you might be better off making a character that would be good as part of a small hell exploring group. Healer, bard, super-tank warrior, stuff like that.

As far as ST goes, there I would unrecommend a conjurer. :P Beyond that... you will probably need a group to throw down with any of the Archmages. They each have suave gear. Just about anything else in the Tower can be done solo; I recommend not a nature-dependant character (there's not much of it in inside... ) and probably not a character that needs to speak. Either of these types is potentially viable, but really not when you're getting started. Beyond that, anything else should be workable.

>Thanks for any and all feedback.. I feel like I'm asking a
>genie for my wishes.
>
>-E.