/* ***********************************************************************
 * called from: describe
 * *********************************************************************** */
const char* racial_description_string(const item_def& item, bool terse = false);

static const char* racial_description_string(const item_def& item, bool terse)

const char* racial_description_string(const item_def& item, bool terse)

        if (item_ident( item, ISFLAG_KNOW_PROPERTIES ))

        if (item_ident( item, ISFLAG_KNOW_PROPERTIES ) && item.special)

            description += "$$";

                    "whether they want it to or not. ";

                    "whether they want it to or not.";

                    "anyone who uses it to strike another. ";

                    "anyone who uses it to strike another.";

                    "terrible and highly irritating curse. ";

                    "terrible and highly irritating curse.";

                description += "It is rather unreliable. ";

                description += "It is rather unreliable.";

                    "worse than slightly purple skin and a few wrinkles. ";

                    "worse than slightly purple skin and a few wrinkles.";

                    "an instrument of Hell. ";

                    "an instrument of Hell.";

                    "at the user's peril. ";

                    "at the user's peril.";

                description += "Eerie flames cover its twisted blade. ";

                description += "Eerie flames cover its twisted blade.";

                    "the fury of Hell. ";

                    "the fury of Hell.";

                    "the arch-fiend Asmodeus. ";

                    "the arch-fiend Asmodeus.";

                    "and the meek with weakness. ";

                    "and the meek with weakness.";

                description += "It is almost unerringly accurate. ";

                description += "It is almost unerringly accurate.";

                    "carries magical powers which can be evoked. ";

                    "carries magical powers which can be evoked.";

                description += "It is lethally vampiric. ";

                description += "It is lethally vampiric.";

                    "Using it can be a bit risky. ";

                    "Using it can be a bit risky.";

            description += "$This weapon may have some hidden properties.$";

            description += "$This weapon may have some hidden properties.";

    description += "$";

            description += "$";

            description += "$$";

                    "particularly susceptible opponents. ";

                    "particularly susceptible opponents.";

                    "particularly susceptible opponents. ";

                    "particularly susceptible opponents.";

                    "creatures of Hell or Pandemonium. ";

                    "creatures of Hell or Pandemonium.";

                    "and cause terrible harm. ";

                    "and cause terrible harm.";

                    "all of orcish descent. ";

                    "all of orcish descent.";

                    description += "It poisons the unbranded ammo it fires. ";

                    description += "It poisons the unbranded ammo it fires.";

                    description += "It poisons the flesh of those it strikes. ";

                    description += "It poisons the flesh of those it strikes.";

                    "injury (+5 to AC). ";

                    "injury (+5 to AC).";

                    "it drains the life of those it strikes. ";

                    "it drains the life of those it strikes.";

                           "they would otherwise have fired only once. ";

                           "they would otherwise have fired only once.";

                           "they would otherwise have struck only once. ";

                           "they would otherwise have struck only once.";

                        "your enemies. ";

                        "your enemies.";

                    "bolts of flame. ";

                    "bolts of flame.";

                    "bolts of frost. ";

                    "bolts of frost.";

                    "it strikes a living foe. ";

                    "it strikes a living foe.";

                    "extra damage on living creatures. ";

                    "extra damage on living creatures.";

                    "Unwielding it can cause banishment or high damage. ";

                    "Unwielding it can cause banishment or high damage.";

                description += "It can be evoked to extend its reach. ";

                description += "It can be evoked to extend its reach.";

                    "that it will return to its owner. ";

                    "that it will return to its owner.";

            description += "$";

            description += "$";

            description += "$$";

            description += "$";

                description += "$This weapon may have some hidden properties.$";

                description += "$This weapon may have some hidden properties.";

        }
        else if (spec_ench != SPWPN_NORMAL && item_type_known(item))
        {
            description += "$";

    const bool launcher = is_range_weapon(item);

        description += "$This weapon falls into the";

        description += "$$This weapon falls into the";

                         skill == SK_FIGHTING? "buggy"
                         : skill_name(skill));
    }

                         skill == SK_FIGHTING? "buggy" : skill_name(skill));

    if (verbose && !is_range_weapon(item))
    {
        switch (hands_reqd(item, player_size()))

        if (!launcher)

        case HANDS_ONE:
            description += "It is a one handed weapon";
            break;
        case HANDS_HALF:
            description += "It can be used with one hand, or more "
                    "effectively with two (i.e. when not using a shield)";
            break;
        case HANDS_TWO:
            description += "It is a two handed weapon";
            break;
        case HANDS_DOUBLE:
            description += "It is a buggy weapon";
            break;
        }

            switch (hands_reqd(item, player_size()))
            {
            case HANDS_ONE:
                description += "It is a one handed weapon";
                 break;
            case HANDS_HALF:
                description += "It can be used with one hand, or more "
                       "effectively with two (i.e. when not using a shield)";
                break;
            case HANDS_TWO:
                description += "It is a two handed weapon";
                break;
            case HANDS_DOUBLE:
                description += "It is a buggy weapon";
                break;
            }

        const int str_weight = weapon_str_weight(item.base_type, item.sub_type);

            const int str_weight = weapon_str_weight(item.base_type, item.sub_type);

        if (str_weight >= 8)
            description += ", and it is best used by the strong";
        else if (str_weight > 5)
            description += ", and it is better for the strong";
        else if (str_weight <= 2)
            description += ", and it is best used by the dexterous";
        else if (str_weight < 5)
            description += ", and it is better for the dexterous";
        description += ".";

            if (str_weight >= 8)
                description += ", and it is best used by the strong";
            else if (str_weight > 5)
                description += ", and it is better for the strong";
            else if (str_weight <= 2)
                description += ", and it is best used by the dexterous";
            else if (str_weight < 5)
                description += ", and it is better for the dexterous";
            description += ".";
        }

    if ( is_demonic(item) && !is_range_weapon(item) )

    if ( is_demonic(item) && !launcher )

    else if (!is_random_artefact( item )
             && get_equip_race(item) != ISFLAG_NO_RACE)

    else if (get_equip_race(item) != ISFLAG_NO_RACE)

        if (is_range_weapon(item))

        if (launcher)

            switch (get_equip_race( item ))
            {
            case ISFLAG_DWARVEN:
                description += ", and it is most deadly when used with "
                    "dwarven ammunition";
                break;
            case ISFLAG_ELVEN:
                description += ", and it is most deadly when used with "
                    "elven ammunition";
                break;
            case ISFLAG_ORCISH:
                description += ", and it is most deadly when used with "
                    "orcish ammunition";
                break;
            }

            description += ", and it is most deadly when used with ";
            description += racial_description_string(item);
            description += "ammunition";

    if (item.sub_type == MI_THROWING_NET && (item.plus > 1 || item.plus < 0))

    if (item.sub_type == MI_THROWING_NET)

        std::string how;
        if (item.plus > 1)
            how = "brand-new";
        else if (item.plus < 0)

        if (item.plus > 1 || item.plus < 0)

            if (item.plus > -3)
                how = "a little worn";
            else if (item.plus > -5)
                how = "slightly damaged";
            else if (item.plus > -7)
                how = "damaged";
            else
                how = "heavily frayed";

            std::string how;
            if (item.plus > 1)
                how = "brand-new";
            else if (item.plus < 0)
            {
                if (item.plus > -3)
                    how = "a little worn";
                else if (item.plus > -5)
                    how = "slightly damaged";
                else if (item.plus > -7)
                    how = "damaged";
                else
                    how = "heavily frayed";
            }
            description += "It looks ";
            description += how;
            description += ".";

        description += "It looks ";
        description += how;
        description += ".";

    bool need_new_line = true;

        description += "$";

        description += "$$";

                "it turns into a bolt of flame. ";

                "it turns into a bolt of flame.";

                "it turns into a bolt of ice. ";

                "it turns into a bolt of ice.";

            description += "It is coated with poison. ";

            description += "It is coated with poison.";

            description += "It is tipped with asphyxiating poison. ";

            description += "It is tipped with asphyxiating poison.";

                "that it will return to its owner. ";

                "that it will return to its owner.";

        need_new_line = false;

    if ( has_launcher(item) )

    if (get_equip_race(item) != ISFLAG_NO_RACE)

        switch ( get_equip_race(item) )

        description += "$";
        if (need_new_line)
            description += "$";
        if ( has_launcher(item) )

        case ISFLAG_DWARVEN:
            description +=
                "$It is more effective in conjunction with dwarven launchers.";
            break;
        case ISFLAG_ELVEN:
            description +=
                "$It is more effective in conjunction with elven launchers.";
            break;
        case ISFLAG_ORCISH:
            description +=
                "$It is more effective in conjunction with orcish launchers.";
            break;

            description += "It is more effective in conjunction with ";
            description += racial_description_string(item);
            description += "launchers.";

    }
    else
    {
        switch ( get_equip_race(item) )

        else

        case ISFLAG_DWARVEN:
            description +=
                "$It is most deadly when thrown by dwarves.";
            break;
        case ISFLAG_ELVEN:
            description +=
                "$It is most deadly when thrown by elves.";
            break;
        case ISFLAG_ORCISH:
            description +=
                "$It is most deadly when thrown by orcs.";
            break;

            switch ( get_equip_race(item) )
            {
            case ISFLAG_DWARVEN:
                description +=
                    "It is most deadly when thrown by dwarves.";
                break;
            case ISFLAG_ELVEN:
                description +=
                    "It is most deadly when thrown by elves.";
                break;
            case ISFLAG_ORCISH:
                description +=
                    "It is most deadly when thrown by orcs.";
                break;
            }

            description += "It allows its wearer to run at a great speed. ";

            description += "It allows its wearer to run at a great speed.";

            description += "It protects its wearer from heat and fire. ";

            description += "It protects its wearer from heat and fire.";

            description += "It protects its wearer from cold. ";

            description += "It protects its wearer from cold.";

            description += "It protects its wearer from poison. ";

            description += "It protects its wearer from poison.";

            description += "It allows its wearer to see invisible things. ";

            description += "It allows its wearer to see invisible things.";

                "their metabolic rate by a large amount. ";

                "their metabolic rate by a large amount.";

            description += "It increases the physical power of its wearer (+3 to strength). ";

            description += "It increases the physical power of its wearer (+3 to strength).";

            description += "It increases the dexterity of its wearer (+3 to dexterity). ";

            description += "It increases the dexterity of its wearer (+3 to dexterity).";

            description += "It makes you more clever (+3 to intelligence). ";

            description += "It makes you more clever (+3 to intelligence).";

            description += "It is very cumbersome (-2 to EV, slows movement). ";

            description += "It is very cumbersome (-2 to EV, slows movement).";

                "float above the ground and remain so indefinitely. ";

                "float above the ground and remain so indefinitely.";

                "to enchantments. ";

                "to enchantments.";

            description += "It protects its wearer from harm (+3 to AC). ";

            description += "It protects its wearer from harm (+3 to AC).";

            description += "It enhances the stealth of its wearer. ";

            description += "It enhances the stealth of its wearer.";

                "of both cold and heat. ";

                "of both cold and heat.";

                "the effects of negative energy. ";

                "the effects of negative energy.";

                "intended for those who have very little left to learn. ";

                "intended for those who have very little left to learn.";

                "from damage and destruction. ";

                "from damage and destruction.";

        description += "$$";

        description += "$";

    description << "$$";

        description << "base: " << static_cast<int>(item.base_type)

        description << "$$"
                    << "base: " << static_cast<int>(item.base_type)

                                                       item.sub_type))
                    << "$$";

                                                       item.sub_type));

        description << "$$";

        if (item.base_type != OBJ_JEWELLERY)
            description << "$";

        description << "$";

        description << "$$";

        description << "$$";

                            << "']";

                            << "']$";

                description << ".";

                description << ".$";

            || item.base_type == OBJ_JEWELLERY
            || item.base_type == OBJ_MISCELLANY
            || (item.base_type == OBJ_FOOD && item.sub_type == FOOD_CHUNK))

            || item.base_type == OBJ_MISSILES
            || item.base_type == OBJ_FOOD && item.sub_type == FOOD_CHUNK)

            // Same for missiles' descriptions.

        description << "$";

            if (you.mutation[MUT_SAPROVOROUS] < 3)
                description << "It looks rather unpleasant.";

            else if (you.mutation[MUT_SAPROVOROUS] < 3)
                description << "It looks rather unpleasant.";
            description << "$";

                    "$Damage rating: 9 $Accuracy rating: +2 "
                    "$Attack delay: 120%";

                    "$Damage rating: 9    Accuracy rating: +2    "
                    "Attack delay: 120%";

            description << "This book is beyond your current level of understanding.$";

            description << "$This book is beyond your current level of understanding.";

        description << "This item should not exist. Mayday! Mayday!";

        description << "$This item should not exist. Mayday! Mayday!";

    if (item_known_cursed( item ))
        description << "$$It has a curse placed upon it, and it";

    if (!verbose && item_known_cursed( item ))
        description << "It has a curse placed upon it.";

    {

        if (item_known_cursed( item ))
            description << " has a curse placed upon it, and it";

    if (verbose)
    {

A corpse

A corpse.