Thread: Null Pointer exception

Hey guys, I am a noob to java, and I am so confused at this point in my code that I had to come here. I for some reason am getting a nullpointerException when trying to add something to my arraylist from my creative project RPG for AP computer science. I need this to work.

Also, do you guys know how to use a variable between methods, like I wanted to be able to set direction to something and have it used with that "something" in another method, I doubt this is possible but it was worth asking, anyway here is the code.

import java.util.*;
 
public class rpgScript {
	int i;
  	int j;
 
 
  	String move = "";
	public ArrayList<String> ch;
	public ArrayList<String> ccch;
	public int index;
	ArrayList<String> inventory;
	public int MAXIMUM_SIZE;
	public String choice;
	public int weapon;
	public int counter; 
	public String direction;
 
 
 	public rpgScript() {
 
	    rpgInput Input = new rpgInput(ch);
	    ArrayList<String> inventory = new ArrayList<String>();
		int counter= 0;
		int weapon = 0;
		int inv=0;
		int index=0;
		int MAXIUMUM_SIZE = 0;
		String direction=" ";
	    String choice="";
	    Scanner reader = new Scanner(System.in);
	    ch = ccch;
 
	}
	public void f1() throws InterruptedException
		{
 
		MainRPG main = new MainRPG(ch);
		ArrayList<String> inventory = new ArrayList<String>();
		Scanner reader = new Scanner(System.in);
		System.out.println("Ah, you started out in the forest, very well...");
		Thread.sleep(2000);
		System.out.println("");
		System.out.println("You are now in the forest, there is a sword, piece of bread,");
		System.out.println("");
		System.out.println("and some shoes on the ground, choose one. Or choose none at all.");
		choice = reader.nextLine();
		[B]addAtSlot(0,choice);[/B]
		//if(choice.equals("north")||choice.equals("south")||choice.equals("west") || choice.equals("east"))
	//	{
		//	direction = choice;
	//	}
	//	if(!(choice.equals("north")||choice.equals("south")||choice.equals("west") || choice.equals("east")))
//	//	addAtSlot(index,choice);
//		if(!(choice.equals(direction)))
			index++;
		}
	public void f2()
	{
		System.out.println("You go " + direction + "You start going deeper into the forest");
	}
 
	public void f3()
	{
		System.out.println("There are lizards here, if you proceed you may encounter a battle");
		System.out.println("However, if you did not pick up a good weapon you may not be able to kill it");
	}
 
	public void f4()
	{
		System.out.println("The lizards attack! I hope you have a weapon!" );
	}
 
 
 
 
 
 
	public void f5() 
	{
		System.out.println("You decided to start in the city, either that or you somehow made it all the way here");
		System.out.println("Anyway, you are here now, now venture off if you have not done anything ");
	}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
	 public void grid(ArrayList<String> ch) throws InterruptedException
  {
 
 
  //MainRPG main = new MainRPG(charac);
  rpgScript Scrip = new rpgScript();
  saveRPG save = new saveRPG(ccch);
   rpgScript[][] board = new rpgScript[10][10];
 
 
  	Scanner reader = new Scanner(System.in);
  	String move;
  	String inputFileName;
   System.out.println("Load character: ");
   inputFileName=reader.nextLine();
 
 
 
   for(int i1=0;i1<=9;i1++)
   	for(int j1=0;j1<=9;j1++)
   	{
   	  board[i1][j1] = new rpgScript();
   	}
   if((save.loadModel(ch,inputFileName).get(3)).equals("Forest"));
 
 [B]  board[0][0].f1();[/B]
 
 
 
 
 
 
	if(i==1 && j==0)
	board[1][0].f2();
  }	
//	
 
 
 
		 public void addAtSlot(int index, String item)
			{
 
			[B]if (index < 0 || index >= inventory.size())[/B]
				{		
						System.out.println("Cannot add item!");
						return;
					}
 
			if (inventory.get(index) == null)
					{		
						System.out.println("There is an item already here!");
						return;
					}
 
				if (inventory.size() == MAXIMUM_SIZE)
					{
						System.out.println("Your pack is full!");
						return;
					}
			inventory.add(index, item);
 
			}
 
				public void add(String item)
					{
						if (inventory.size() == MAXIMUM_SIZE)
					{
						System.out.println("Your pack is full!");
						return;
					}
						inventory.add(item);
					}
 
			public void remove(int index)
				{
					if (index < 0 || index >= inventory.size())
						{
							System.out.println("Impossible!");
							return;
						}
 
					if (inventory.get(index) == null)
						{
							System.out.println("Cannot remove an item that isn't there!");
							return;
						}
						inventory.remove(index);
				}
	}

Here is the output: --------------------Configuration: <Default>--------------------
Choose Load or New(for new game)
load
Enter a file name to load:
Demetrius
2All done, return to the main menu or continue to game? (1) (2)
2
Game Start
Load character:
Demetrius
Ah, you started out in the forest, very well...

You are now in the forest, there is a sword, piece of bread,

and some shoes on the ground, choose one. Or choose none at all.
sword
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException
at rpgScript.addAtSlot(rpgScript.java:175)
at rpgScript.f1(rpgScript.java:48)
at rpgScript.grid(rpgScript.java:116)
at DriverRPG.main(DriverRPG.java:89)

Process completed.