TomeNET

(4.2) Level and owner of items                                                  
------------------------------
If you press 'l' to look at an unknown item that lies on the floor, you'll
see something like this:

You see a Long Sword {?} (2d5)

The '{?}' indicates that this item has not yet been 'identified'.
That means we don't know yet if it has certain magic abilities or if it's
even cursed. We just know what we can see with our very eyes, that it is
undoubtful some Long Sword, and all Long Swords do a base damage of 2d5.
For more information about finding, identifying and selling items, see (5.7).
If you pick it up it will be displayed in your inventory like this:

e) a Long Sword {+,?} (2d5)

Note the additional '+' symbol. It means that you're now the 'owner' of that
item because you were the first one to pick it up.
Now you want to find out if the sword has any magic abilities. So you read
a Scroll Of Identify (or a Staff of Perception for example). The sword now
looks like this:

e) a Long Sword {+,6} (2d5) (+1,+5)

Now we know all about it. It's a magical Long Sword (magical because its
magical to-hit and to-dam boni are not 0,0 but 1,5. That means it's an
enchanted Long Sword that magically adds +1 to your hit chance and +5 to
the damage, doing (2d5)+5 damage per hit) that requires its wielder to be
at least level 6 in order to use it.

-Now if you're the owner of the sword then you are able to use it even if your
level is lower than 6 !

-If you give this sword to someone else who is level 4
that person won't be able to use it because he's not the owner.

-If you give the sword to someone who is level 6 or higher, he will become the
new owner! Now you're unable to use the sword if you're level 5 and he gives
it back to you.

-To the owner an item has the '+' sign displayed in its name. Every other
player who looks at the item sees the owner's name instead. Example:
If you drop the sword to the ground and 'l'ook at it, you'll still see this:

e) a Long Sword {+,6} (2d5) (+1,+5)

but if someone else looks at it, assuming your name is 'Mithrandir', that
person will instead read:

e) a Long Sword {Mithrandir,6} (2d5) (+1,+5)

-Last but not least a nasty scenario:
Your character (named 'Mithrandir', level 20) dies and loses his Bluesteel
Blade {+,20}. Now you're a ghost and decide to ask a fellow player (named
'Mugash', level 30) if he can defeat the monsters that killed you and bring
your items to town.
He agrees, you float up to town (remember that ghosts can simply float up
and down anytime by pressing < and >) and revive in the temple (green '4').
If you revive, you'll always lose a bunch of experience. So your level is
now 18 instead of formerly 20.
The level 30 player kills all monsters and picks up your stuff. Since your
valuable Bluesteel Blade requires level 20 the level 30 player becomes its
new owner because he's not lower than 20. He arrives in town and drops the
sword for you.
You pick it up, and whooops it's a Bluesteel Blade {Mugash,20} and you're
level 18. You can't wield it anymore! So the right choice would've been to
ask Mugash if he can buy a 'Scroll of Life' and revive you in the dungeon
after he killed off all mobs, to avoid him touching your items and becoming
the owner.

For more information on item basics see (3.4c) and for more advanced item
details see (5.7).