(This will be the updated version of this blog when it is finished. Until then I will continue to add to it. Please feel free to add comments as I update this, give helpful suggestions, etc. etc. I am reminding you that this is in no way complete.)

TEFc Help and Etiquette Blog For Newbies._{(updated as of March 2012)}

Welcome to The Forest!

Here you are, in this place called “The Endless Forest.” You’re new and don’t know anything about this Tale-Of-Tales game. The Endless Forest is a beautiful and peaceful place with an infinite amount of possible friends, ways to have fun, and surprises from The Gods themselves. And then, there’s this wonderful Community of people you want to meet and make friends with, learn about, and even RolePlay with if you want.

Then again, there are bunches of ways to make a mistake, both in-game and on the community site itself. Now, I am in no way trying to scare you here. I’m only trying to help you have a fun and worry-free time here with the rest of the TEF players. We’re going to take a journey through the basics and guidelines now, both in-game and out, so hang on and enjoy the ride. And please, don’t just tl;dr or disregard this, it is for you and intended to help make your experience a little more enjoyable.

Let’s begin, shall we?

Basic Gameplay

Being a Fawn: The first month of gameplay
You start off in this game as a fawn. When you log in to the game for the first time this is how you will appear, and it will last for the first 30-31 days after you register your account. That means if your account was registered on the 1st of March, it would grow up on the 1st of April.
There are many enjoyable things about being a fawn, like making friends and having fun with the “bigger deer” but there is also one drawback: As a young and inexperienced fawn you cannot keep magic spells. This means that the magic cast on you will fade after around a minute. There are some things you can keep, though. Your fawn can wear candles or flowers! These are things you can normally get yourself. Don’t worry, after the first month of gameplay you will grow up… but as so many players have said: Cherish your time as a fawn. Explore the forest, cast magic, play, and have fun.

Growing Up: You Made It!
Your deer has now reached the 30-day mark and grown in to an adult deer! Now here’s where a whole new adventure begins! Now that you are a grown-up, you can keep magic spells to change your appearance. There is a catch, though: You can’t cast most magic on yourself. Here’s where some fun comes in. Let’s talk a little bit about how to get your magic.
How To Change Your Appearance
By now, you should know that you can cast spells on other deer. Mask spells come from eating mushrooms, antler spells come from rubbing on pine trees and pelt spells come from laying next to sleeping deer for a moment. “BUT HOW DO I GET THE SET I WANT?” you ask? Well, most people just post a “Set help” blog on the community, but if you really want to have fun you can do it all through actions in-game. Many deer would be willing to help you achieve your set if you know how to ask. Now, please click on this link to follow along!

• First, find another deer that’s not asleep.
• Greet them. The “Respect” action is known throughout the forest as a universal greeting.
• Click the “Scratch the Ground” Icon. This often is interpreted as “Follow me!” Maybe tilt your head with the “Confusion” icon as well. Most deer will go ahead and follow you.
• Find whatever the origin of the spell you need is. Again click the “Scratch the Ground” Icon in front of the place where the other deer can get the spell. This is a way of saying “Hey, can you help me get this spell?” More often than not, other deer will be happy to help.
• Let the deer that is helping you know if you found what you wanted. Simple “Yes” and “No” head shakes are enough. Know that spells are random, so getting the exact spell you want takes time.
• Be sure to thank your helper with another click of the “Respect” icon or a friendly nuzzle with the “Show Affection” icon.

Don’t Forget, Save Your Set!
If you use version 3.41 of the game, to save your set just go in to the game’s menu, click on the “Network” button, and go down to where it says “Save Current Deer Appearance” and click that. If you suddenly find yourself with a different appearance you did not want, just click “Load Saved Deer Appearance” and then you’ll have your saved set back.

Animal spells are fun as well. Just ask someone to join you inside a circle of mushrooms and wait until they fall asleep. Once they do, they’ll wake up with a spell to turn you in to one of various animals. You could wind up as a bunny, a squirrel, a frog, a crow, a dove, or maybe they will just shrink you to half your size as a “mini-deer!” Try mooing if you get any of these spells, you will find that your voice has either changed or faded away completely.

There are a couple of special items that you can’t just get from going to any old tree. One of which is the “Zombie Set.” This consists of a pelt, a set of really neat red antlers, and a skull mask. To get these items, you need to wait until October, when the Big Zombie Deer comes to the forest, then cast magic spells on HIM to receive the spells yourself. Another set that you have to really wait for is the Day Of The Dead set, which can only be cast by players with an older version of the game. This is something you will have to ask the community for. Just make a blog, be patient and ask nicely!

Now you are free to run about the forest and have fun! Before you get in to the heavy RP stuff though, take some time to consider the following in-forest relationship guidelines...

• You don't need to start off with a family right off the bat! To e completely honest, this is discouraged as it can close you off to many other options for your deer. TEFc members encourage deer (even as fawns!) to go and make friends first. And trust me, you won't be received well if the first thing you do is come and request a "parent" or "Family" for your fawn or deer. Originally, this game was not made for Roleplaying families, but making friends... so go out there and make some!
• Not all does are antlerless, and not all stags have antlers! Keep this in mind. If you can't go to the map to look up their pictogram, you can always post a "Who is this?" blog and either add a screenshot to that or draw the pictogram if you can. You might even want to use Aivilio's Pictogram Builders to see if you can find the username that way.