Help Topic: Strum

Category: Actions -- This command takes balance and consciousness, and may have other physical in-character requirements.

[works with parenthesis]

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Some objects can make noises, and you can play these instruments with
specific commands. Depending on the object, you may need the requisite
skill in wind, percussion, or string instruments in order to play the
object well.

Usage:
strum <object>
pound <object>
blow <object>
ring <object>
stroke <object>

You may also try twang, beat, pound, thrum, pluck, and toot.

Depending on your skill, you may make the intended sound on the
instrument, or a more discordant noise. It's recommended that if you
are performing, you can use more customized emotes. However, for
instruments that project their sounds over a long distance, you can
use parenthesis to add more detail to your noise.

Usage:
ring bell (with loud and alarmed insistence)

And others over the distance will see:

(If you are not good at percussion instruments):
With loud and alarmed insistence, a bell rings out a discordant
clanging from Your Location.

(If you are good at percussion):
With loud and alarmed insistence, a bell rings out a resounding
series of melodic clangs from Your Location.

In this case, you do not use the parenthesis for your own emotions
or details about physical positioning, because it is about the noise
that the instrument makes, and someone might hear the noise without
seeing you at all!

So, this would not make sense:
ring bell (yanking on the chain with a scared expression)

Because others over a distance would see...

Yanking on the chain with a scared expression, a bell rings out a
discordant clanging from Your Location.

In short, use parenthesis for this command carefully -- the extra
descriptive writing should make sense as it only relates to the
instrument, and the noise it makes.

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