diff --git a/doc/dlb.6 b/doc/dlb.6
index 80ca26861..b58b12164 100644
--- a/doc/dlb.6
+++ b/doc/dlb.6
@@ -21,25 +21,53 @@
 dlb \- NetHack data librarian
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 .B dlb
-{
-.B xct
-}
-[
-.B vfIC
-]
-arguments...
-[
-.B files...
-]
-.SH DESCRIPTION
+.\" We'd use `RB` with 7 arguments, but Unix troff man(7) has a limit of
+.\" 6 arguments to its macros.
+{\c
+.BR c | t | x\c
+}\c
+.RB [ v ]\c
+.RB [ C
+.IR directory ]
+.RI [ file ]
+\&.\|.\|.
 .PP
+.B dlb
+{\c
+.BR c | t | x\c
+}\c
+.RB [ v ]\c
+.B I
+.IR list-file
+.PP
+.B dlb
+{\c
+.BR c | t | x\c
+}\c
+.RB [ v ]\c
+.RB [ f
+.IR archive-file-name ]
+.RI [ file ]
+\&.\|.\|.
+.SH DESCRIPTION
 .I Dlb
-is a file archiving tool in the spirit (and tradition) of tar for
-NetHack version 3.1 and higher.  It is used to maintain the
-archive files from which NetHack reads special level files and other
-read-only information.  Note that like tar the command and option
-specifiers are specified as a continuous string and are followed
-by any arguments required in the same order as the option specifiers.
+is a file archiving tool in the spirit (and tradition) of
+.IR tar (1)
+for
+.IR nethack (6)
+version 3.1 and higher.
+It is used to maintain the
+archive files from which the game reads special level files and other
+read-only information.
+Note that like
+.IR tar ,
+the letters specifying the operation and options
+are expressed as a continuous string.
+Unlike
+.IR tar ,
+.I dlb
+is configured with a default set of file names to process.
+.ig
 .PP
 ^?ALLDOCS
 This facility is optional and may be excluded during NetHack
@@ -53,67 +81,76 @@ This facility is optional and was excluded from this NetHack
 configuration.
 ^.
 ^.
-.SH COMMANDS
-The
-.B x
-command causes
-.I dlb
-to extract the contents of the archive into the current directory.
-.PP
-The
+..
+.SS Operations
 .B c
-command causes
+causes
 .I dlb
 to create a new archive from files in the current directory.
 .PP
-The
 .B t
-command lists the files in the archive.
-.SH OPTIONS AND ARGUMENTS
-.TP 12em
-\fBv
-verbose output
-.br
-.sp 1
+lists the files in the archive.
+.PP
+.B x
+causes
+.I dlb
+to extract the contents of the archive into the current directory.
+.SH OPTIONS
+.TP 13n \" "I list-file" + 2n
+.BI "C " dir
+Change directory to
+.I dir
+before trying to
+read any files.
 .TP
-\fBf\fI\ archive
-specify the archive.  Default if f not specified is
-LIBFILE (usually the nhdat file in the playground).
-.br
-.sp 1
+.BI "f " archive
+Read from or write to
+.I archive
+instead of LIBFILE
+(usually the
+.I nhdat
+file in the playground).
 .TP
-\fBI\fI\ lfile
-specify the file containing the list of files to
-put in to or extract from the archive if no files are listed
-on the command line.  Default for archive creation if no files
-are listed is LIBLISTFILE.
-.br
-.sp 1
+.BI "I " list-file
+Read from
+.I list-file
+the names of files to emplace within or extract from the archive.
+The default for archive creation is LIBLISTFILE.
 .TP
-\fBC\fI\ dir
-change directory.  Changes directory before trying to
-read any files (including the archive and the lfile).
-.br
+.B v
+Operate verbosely.
 .SH EXAMPLES
 Create the default archive from the default file list:
-.br
-	dlb c
-.sp 1
-List the contents of the archive 'foo':
-.br
-	dlb tf foo
-.SH AUTHOR
+.RS
+.EX
+dlb c
+.EE
+.RE
 .PP
+List the contents of the archive
+.IR foo :
+.RS
+.EX
+dlb tf foo
+.EE
+.RE
+.SH AUTHOR
 Kenneth Lorber
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
-.PP
-nethack(6), tar(1)
+.IR nethack (6),
+.IR tar (1)
 .SH BUGS
-.PP
-Not a good tar emulation; - does not mean stdin or stdout.
+.IP \(bu 2n
+Not a good
+.I tar
+emulation;
+.B -
+does not mean stdin or stdout.
+.IP \(bu
 Should include an optional compression facility.
+.IP \(bu
 Not all read-only files for NetHack can be read out of an archive;
-examining the source is the only way to know which files can be. 
+examining the source is the only way to know which files can be.
 .SH COPYRIGHT
 This file is Copyright (C) \*(Na, \*(Nd for version \*(Nb:\*(Nr.
 NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details.
diff --git a/doc/recover.6 b/doc/recover.6
index f291917f9..3829760e9 100644
--- a/doc/recover.6
+++ b/doc/recover.6
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ supplies a directory which is the NetHack playground.
 It overrides the value from NETHACKDIR, HACKDIR, or the directory
 specified by the game administrator during compilation
 (usually /usr/games/lib/nethackdir).
+.ig
 .PP
 ^?ALLDOCS
 For recovery to be possible,
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ This configuration of
 was created without support for recovery.
 ^.
 ^.
+..
 NetHack normally writes out files for levels as the player leaves them,
 so they will be ready for return visits.
 When checkpointing, NetHack also writes out the level entered and