Hokay... By popular demand; we shall continue 'The Saga of Ellora the Elven Archer' in this thread. For those of you new to Ellora (our heroine), and her adventures; please refer to the following thread for background information: http://groups.google.ca/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=26ccd8a4.0402161211.293f584c%40posting.google.com&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dg:thl3146702331d%26dq%3D%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3D26ccd8a4.0402161211.293f584c%2540posting.google.com Now to every one concerned... PLEASE REMEMBER: This is only a story. If you see any questions within the story; it's just me talking to myself (That way you get a glimpse of what's going through my mind.). See the prologue in the first post in the above linked thread. I'm not asking for - nor do I want - any advice. Don't tell me things that will ruin the game for me. Don't give me any spoilers. I also want to clarrify a few things that have been asked of me, brought (or come) to my attention... - I got no problem with people sending me e-mails. In fact it encouraged me to continue the story here. But my time is limited. I have responsibilities in real life. Stay tuned here for info. on Ellora (Boudewijn Waijers will more than likely post a link for the combined chapters of the story so far). - I started playing D&D in the '70's. AD&D came out about '77. I played that till around '82. The group of people I played with, were quite good. Acheiving level 6 or above was quite an achievement. One character, took me 3 years to get to 8th level. It certainly was not a "Monty Hall" type of game we played (laugh). This is the game that I refer to in the story when I talk about; "the game that Nethack is not." The guide to Nethack refers to the 'Players Manual' from this game, and the Oracle refers to the 'Monster Manual' of this game as well. So I've been trying to tap into all I remember from those days, well, whatever I can remember (laugh). - I played chess and board games for a long time. Eventually went on to computer games when we all moved on, and had no more time to get together for weekly sessions. Railroad Tycoon, Civilisation, Master of Orion, Master of Magic, and Colonisation are amongst my all time favorite PC games. - Why I started playing Nethack (the very short version): I found Nethack by accident. I was looking for a leisurely role playing game, Betrayal at Krondor, to download and install. But I could not get it running on my PC. So looking for a way to do that, I came accross a site that recomended the best RPG type games available to download. Nethack was like 5th on the list. But happened to be the first that I could get to run successfully. - This is not the first time I play Nethack. It is more like the 121st. time I play. I have re-read the complete story of Ellora so far, and just can't see where any one got the impression that this was my first time ever (?). Again, see the prologue. - I'm male. My character (Ellora) is female. The way I choose gender in Nethack goes like this: Any intelligent, agile, and evil (chaotic) characters are female. Stupid, strong, goodie-two-shoes type of characters are male. Those are my reasons and how I choose to play. Whatever type of conclusions you wish to draw from this - is up to you... (wink) Yet again, see prologue for more information. - On average; I play Nethack anywhere from 0 - 10 hours per week (This week, it's been 0.), mostly on weekends. Depending on free time, of course. - Yes. Writing the story does cut into, and comes from, my playing time. - I have seen things with some of my previous characters that I have not mentioned here. That's cause I haven't found and/or come accross them yet. This is a story. Not a rendition on how to ascend. I dunno how, I haven't ascended. So I can't tell you why I'm not trying to get certain things. - Some of you don't want me to die. Well... I don't want to die either! Go back and read the complete story. You'll see that I'm trying pretty hard not to (laugh)! - Once again: Please don't post any spoilers or related information in this thread. I cannot always avert my eyes. I see lots of other thread titles on this Google page, save these for them. - Giving me tips on how to work the game and its controls and/or commands are just fine and dandy. - Questions on; how I do certain things, what's the rationale behind my actions, etc., are more than welcome. - Don't worry. If I get really, really stuck; I will ask for help. - If you want to talk amongst each other in your code language, like you have in the other two threads, that's fine. I won't bother trying to break it. Allrighty then. So when I can see this post on Google, I'll bring on the next chapter... Regards, Krysia's Krusader To any one curious, and for those who asked: This is how Ellora looked after I had finished sorting and organising the booty on dungeon level 28, after Part 22 of the story and during Part 23 (of which I don't yet have a title, as I haven't finished writing it), and how I adjusted the important letters in my inventory. However, as Janis pointed out in the original story thread; "Inventory comes and goes." So it will be changing soon again... I an uncursed amulet of reflection. d 8 blessed +6 daggers named BDDD s an uncursed silver dagger (alternate weapon) B the blessed +0 Longbow of Diana (weapon in hand) S a forked polearm Q 23 blessed arrows (in quiver) an uncursed +2 elven mithril-coat a +0 polished silver sheild an uncursed +3 pair of snow boots an uncursed +3 rusted orcish helm a +0 pair of leather gloves an uncursed +0 cloak of displacement a pear 5 food rations an uncursed scroll of teleportation f an uncursed ring of levitation g an uncursed +2 ring of gain strength (on right hand) a wand of enlightenment a wand of teleportation (0:3) a wand of digging (0:5) b an uncursed blindfold k an uncursed lock pick l an uncursed brass lantern m an uncursed looking glass p an uncursed pick-axe u a blessed unicorn horn named white an uncursed leash named Burp an uncursed leash named Grunt Here's whats on the status line: Ellora the Scout St:18/02 Dx:18 Co:16 In:14 Wi:16 Ch:10 Chaotic Dlvl:28 $:0 HP: 92(92) Pw: 102(102) AC:-10 Exp:14 T:72466 Here's the spells: Name Level Category Fail dig 5* matter 100% healing 1* healing 100% slow monster 2 enchantment 100% light 1 divination 100% As you can see; I don't use 'em much (laugh!). While we're at it. Let me see what I can give you from the enhance screen... # dagger [Expert] * knife * axe * broadsword # polearms [Skilled] * spear * javelin # bow [Expert] * boomerang Everything else has both; no markings, and is [Unskilled]. I have whole bunches of stuff in different caches all over the Mazes of Menace. But at this point, since I'm back at playing the game, that's me for now! Part 23: Back In The Game ------------------------- Allright! After some help from the r.g.r.n. deities... I found some stairs up (finally), of which I am standing on when I restarted the game. Okay, then. Let's get organised. Have to get the feel on how to play again. It's been a long absence... One month and eight days... Yeeesh (roll eyes)... How do all these commands go again...? Oh yeah. It's starting to come back to me... A little... Better to just take it slow for now. Don't wanna do somethin' stupid after all this effort and trouble (laugh!)! I'll go back into this fortress and start sorting through all my booty. I've almost completely forgotten what I have - besides what I've told you about during the story already. There's a veritable mob of gremlins all over this side of the map. Good thing I've chopped away a lot of the walls here. Still, they get in my way a lot. Levitate back around to the back door... Oh! Look at that! There's a land square to it! I thought it was over water (laugh!). I've been away too long... Look at all the piles of junk in here! Gotta clean this up. Make everything more tidy. It's not like me to be this messy... There now. All the neat stuff in the chest next to the throne. The less inerestin' stuff in the large box next to that. And three piles on the floor next to the containers; weapons (but not projectiles!), armor, and pole arms. Lots of neat stuff here. My all time favorite pole-arm is amongst the booty: The forked pole-arm (A spetum; if I ever get it identified.). It's really great in the game that Nethack is not. It can disarm opponents. It's what it was designed to do in real life. It also looks cool, if you know what the different pole-arms look like. Hope it's not cursed... Wield forked pole-arm. Its not! Great. I'll use it as my pole-arm of choice. I see there's a blue dragon in one of the four rooms. He must have materialised in there. I sure get lot's of blue dragons. Maybe it's a sign... (shrug). I'll save him for later. Next time I get hungry. Test out this enlightenment discovery I made last time I played (see Part: 22). Dragons must qualify as "enchanted creatures", no? Now... After looking over everything; I'll equipe all my best armor. Make sure I've got the proper weapons wielded. Let's try invoking the Longbow of Diana... 11 blessed arrows! Great! I have 23 now. Let's write down the turn number. In 860 more, we can invoke again. Look at inventory. Marvel at the blessed +0 Longbow of Diana... The best peice of equipement I have ever had... Gaze upon its beauty... Feel the smootheness of the wood... Listen to the harmonic twang of the draw string... A true artifact... Remember all the wonderful things it can do... Look (";") at gremlin in the water outside of the fortress. How can I do this? Why, by telepathy of course! Keep it wielded. It also works like my amulet of reflection. Oh! Let's type in it's name with the "/" command... "This legendary bow grants ESP when carried and can reflect magical attacks when wielded. When invoked it provides a supply of arrows." ESP? The game tells me seen with 'telpathy' (?). Bah. Who cares. As long as I get real time monster detection. That's what counts. Now lets switch our attention to the blessed +6 daggers named BDDD... Yes. The true wonder weapons: Blessed Death Dealing Daggers. Feel their weight in my hands... Hold them by their blade tips... Sense how well they're balanced... The weapons that allowed me to breach the ghost level. Able to fall dragons with but 6 of them. General all purpose monster droppers. Covet these. In them, I depend on, with my life. Try typing in a few other things with the "/" command... Geeez... Look at what it says for "pyrolisk"! Look at how he describes his battle with it. I close my eyes and go back over my own encounter with it myself (See Part:1 Journey to the Oracle.) from so long ago. It's almost as if they are the same (laugh!)! There are very striking similarities. That's so wierd... 'Orion' and 'Sirus' give me the same response. 'Scorpious' is the same as 'scorpion'... (Those of you who were commenting on it; take a look at what the game says about them...) Ah-ha! Here's "Orcrist"... The Great Goblin gave a truly awful howl of rage when he looked at it, and all his soldiers gnashed their teeth, clashed their shields, and stamped. They knew the sword at once. It had killed hundreds of goblins in its time, when the fair elves of Gondolin hunted them in the hills or did battle before their walls. They had called it Orcrist, Goblin-cleaver, but the goblins called it simply Biter. They hated it and hated worse any one that carried it. [ The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien ] So goblins are afraid of it too. I'll have to see about that. Too bad I'm no longer afraid of goblins (laugh!)! It should be in my cache at base camp level 24 with the other gifts from Mars (I think. Cause they're not here...). And here is (drum roll, please)... "Sting"! There was the usual dim grey light of the forest-day about him when he came to his senses. The spider lay dead beside him, and his sword-blade was stained black. Somehow the killing of the giant spider, all alone and by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves or of anyone else, made a great difference to Mr. Baggins. He felt a different person, and much fiercer and bolder in spite of an empty stomach, as he wiped his sword on the grass and put it back into its sheath. "I will give you a name," he said to it, "and I shall call you Sting." [ The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien ] So "Sting" is for sticking spiders with, eh? (laugh!) I never would have figured it! I'll test it later on too... (chuckle) ** Note: If you don't know what I'm talking about, or why we're all laughing, that's cause you haven't read all the previous parts of the story...! ** Ooookay. Let's see if there's any wandering monsters around. Gotta do a little battle sequence. Just to make sure I'm punching properly on the keyboard... Ah ha! There's a succubus. (crack knuckles) Poise my fingers over the keyboard. Start tracking my prey... Come on babe... Walk on over into my sights... Let me side step along with you... Count the number of squares... Range is at 8! Fire! Four launched! She died on the second one shot. Muhahaha! They still work like I always remembered them (grin of satisfaction)... Allright. Let's try and blow through that drawbridge again. Going around through the back all the time, is gonna be long. I have tons of booty to ferry out of here. Tons I tell you! Grab the battle-axe and head towards the drawbridge... Apply battle-axe. It's too hard to chop through... (hrumph). Apply pick-axe. Same story as before. Same as it was 5 weeks ago... Trudge back to cache. Drop battle-axe in weapons pile. Rummage through chest and pull out the only wand of striking. Bolts from this wand can bust apart stone statues. Blow reinforced dungeon doors clear off their hinges. Kill mighty kobold lords with but one zap. This should be a cinch... March back to drawbridge. Zap. Nothing. Ah no... Zap. Nothing. Zap. Nothing. Zap. Nothing. Arghh! Zap. Zap. Zap. Zap. Zap. Zap. Come on! Zap. Zap. Zap. Zap. Zap. Zap. For 33 times! (groan) Throw wand of striking at drawbridge. Fine. I'll use the back door. I could use the excercise... (mutter, mutter) Back at cache near the throne. Sit on the chest a minute and do some thinking... Need a mission. Nothing too complicated. Have to ease back into things... I know! Let's go clock the titan! No no no... Remember. We've tried that three times already. Okay... Well. I don't want to go any further down. I want to go up! Have to get at our old cache on level 24. Have to get my BDDD's and poisoned arrows from the titans' room. Have to get my pets again; Burp and Grunt. They're both still up there with the titan. I'll have to charm them again, no doubt. I don't think I have any more charm monster scrolls though. I'll have to find some. Only way for all of this; is through the titan... Hmm... I know! Let's go clock the titan! No no no... Come on. There's a lich with him. As well as some other nasties. We need to take things slow. Okay... Let's see... Going down is definetly out. Been there twice already. No fun. Not ready yet. Need some stuff from my cache on level 24. Need my other BDDD's from the titan. Need poisoned arrows from the same place too. Stairs back up to level 26 are from the titans room. It's surrounded by water. So I'll probably have to go through like part of the level just to get to him anyways... I know! Let's go clock the titan! Sheesh. Looks like I'll have to get him sooner than I would like to. My immediate needs are going to outweigh my desire to start off slow again... Well. Let's see what's upstairs. Let's see what were up against. Then we'll make a mission plan as we go along. The titan has to be dealt with sooner or later. No way around it. Besides..., I hate him! I've been tipped off, by the deities, that the medusa is upstairs. I've been informed about her from the Oracle many times in the past. I also know her a bit from mythology. Good thing I'm poison resistant. Won't have to worry about all the snakes in her hair! Grab a looking glass to reflect her gaze. Make sure I have the blindfold. The titans room is surrounded by water. Probably lots of water up there. Means lots of sea creatures. I'll have to clear them before trying to levitate around the area. I'll make sure to bring the forked pole-arm too. After much consideration; I decided to leave the wand of wishing here. It will be my handicap for all the extra knowledge I gained from the dieties at r.g.r.n. As long as a mindflayer does not materialise next to me, I should be safe for now. With my telepathy, I can now see the invisible ones as well... Now levitate over the pits. Out through the back door. And around the fortress to the stairs on the left side of the map. Pause on the stairs. Exchange. Wield looking glass. Put on blind fold. Look at inventory again. Must make sure of everything. Can't be too careful...! Okay. Now up we go... "You feel around with your hands." "There is a statue of Persus here." "You kill medusa." Wow (laugh!). That was quick! I never saw her with telepathy even? Guess I don't need the looking glass after all... (!). Look around with telepathy. A few monsters here and there. Cobras and eels mostly. Keep blindfold on. In case Medusa has a twin sister, or if she has a boyfreind hanging around... Do a search. Nothing. Do a few more. Might be some traps right next to me. An eel is swimming around nearby. Cobras and other monsters are not closing. Must be all restricted due to the terrain. Good. "Burrrrp!" I know that sound! That's Burp! He's still alive and still tame. Else he woulden't have swallowed something. Yippee! I thought for sure he would have become peaceful by now (!?). I shout out: Hang on burp! I'm comming! Take a step up. Do some more searching. Walk around a bit while searching. Medusa is a statue (!). She must have caught her reflection in something. I was wielding the looking glass. But I would have thought that applying it towards her would be the way? That's what the Oracle said. Oh well. If not... Maybe it was my amulet then... (?) Well. Feels safe. Remove blindfold... I'm in a small room. Two statues. The one of Persus is on the stairs. I have to move it. Don't like stuff on stairs. Persus is too heavy. Have to drop some stuff. I move it up one square. Urgh. That was super hard. I was overtaxed! Put blindfold back on. No use taking a chance. Read my previous chapters on how; statues sometimes come to life on you when you move them. Move Medusa statue over one square. She's not as heavy as Persus was. Step up two squares. Take off blindfold. Nothing was under Medusa, and I can now see the stairs where Persus was. Persus...? That's odd? I thought he was a hero of some kind? How come he's a statue? Check the "/" command... Oups. It's "Perseus" (laugh). The game has no information on such things. Oh well. "Burrrp!" I'm coming burp! Just have to figure a way out of here... I can see that the titan room is way over on the left hand side of the map. I'm on the opposite. Way over on the right. I was correct in my assumptions. Gonna take a while I'm afraid... "Burrrp!" Let's see if there's a door now... Yes there is. Wield silver dagger. Exchange. Untrap door. Unlock. Open. It leads into a room full of statues. Two cobras and a python are quickly dispatched. My my. Theres a lot of statues here... Ack! One is a lich! Hope that none come to life. I'll try to just scoot past them all quickly. Better put the blindfold back on... "The stone golem misses you." Stone golem? Never met one in Nethack. Hmm... Makes sense. All these statues that are here, and all... Can't see it with telepathy. Let's try and step around it. Don't want to fight in this statue room. Lest one comes to life (cringe)! "Burrrp!" I'm feeling statue after statue here. What was Medusa doing? Putting a collection together? Must be like a trophy room or something... Bonk! Can't move anymore. I've hit a wall. Not feeling any more statues. Remove blindfold. It's dark. Turn on brass lantern. It goes out...? What's the matter? Out of juice or something? Try it again. It's working now. "Burrrp!" Burps' having a good time I hear... Another stone golem bearing in from my right! These must be her strong arm thugs. It's BDDD time! Both stone golems got killed. Or should I say - they turned into statues. Fine. I'll move them later. Let's look for a way outa here towards my left... Xorn coming! Phasing through wall. Step away so that if I kill it; my arrows aren't inbeded. Fire! Fire! Xorn ate my arrows (sad face)! Fire! Xorn coming my way. Fire! "You kill the xorn!" "You've gained a level." "Welcome to experience level 15." "You feel (something to do with the enhance screen)." Oooo... Lessee how I've changed... Hmmm... Still a Scout. So Nethack doesen't differentiate levels with titles too much... Hit points at 95 now. Power at 104. Which is turning out to be pretty useless anyways... Everything else looks the same. Okay. Keep going around in here. My brass lantern keeps going out...(?) Lizard coming from the darkness. Easy kill. But Instead of eating it... I'll keep it on me. Just like that guy in the pyrolisk story. Door to my left leads to a small strip of land. Yep. It's an island. There's a lot of water between me and the room with my pets. There's a master mind flayer out in the water!!! Yuch. These must be worse than regular mindflayers. It has to be dropped. But first I have to dispatch these eels and jellyfish. I start by using the same system as on the level below for sea creatures... The eels have all just missed me thanks to my cloak of displacement! What went wrong? I had counted the number of turns properly, no? There are too many all at once out here. Better not take chances. I step back into the doorway. Take off the sheild. Exchange. Wield the forked polearm. Kill them from here. Wraith coming from behind! Throw BDDD's. Wraith gets dispatched to the etherial plane. Go pick up BDDD's. Back to finishing off these eels. Boy... There's a lot of gremlins in the distance. Maybe more than there are on the level below... Looks like these guys like swimming. I like gremlins. They're a blast. Here's a description of them from the game: "The gremlin is a highly intelligent and completely evil creature. It lives to torment other creatures and will go to great lengths to inflict pain or cause injury." See! They sure sound great. I'll try and get one as a pet some time. See how intelligent they are, and I want to know their methods of inflicting pain on other monsters... Eels and jellyfish from around here are all dead now. That done; I step out and head down the narrow strip of land. I'm going to plunk arrows in this master mind flayer from accross the water. It's standing on just a one square island. Water is all around it, therby it's stuck there. Heh he he. This is going to be easy... Part 24: Reunited ----------------- I have him just about lined up. A wraith materialises in the room behind me. Another wraith? Again? It starts to head my way. No problem. I have lots of time before it can get near me. I wanna drop this octopus face first. Then I'll turn and handle the wraith. Just two more steps down... "A beartrap closes on your leg!" "You are caught in a beartrap!" AH SHOOT! Try to step out. Try to step out. Try to step out. Try to step out. Wraith is closing in. Try to step out. Try to step out. Try to step out. Try to step out. The master mind flayer is moving!? THESE THINGS CAN WALK ON WATER!?!?! Aaaaahh!! Try to step out. Try to step out. Try to step out. Try to step out. Wraith is now through the door. I'm still trapped. Have to fight here. Have to fight now! Fire at wraith. Only one arrow launched. Damn. Fire again. Only one again! What's wrong...? Look at inventory. I still have the forked polearm wielded! Oups. Exchange. Fire at wraith. Four arrows launched. Good. It should be almost dead. Octopus face is closing. "Burrrp!" Glad your having a good time Burp! Boy, could I ever use you here next to me... Wraith is now too close. Have to drop it now. Throw BDDD's (n2td). Two launched. What's this? It's still standing!? How? Look at wraith (";"). It's not a wraith. It's a nazgul. It has the same picture as a wraith. Oh. Just beautiful. What the heck is a nazgul? I do the "/" command. Then type in "nazgul". It gives me the same story as a wraith (?). Wonderful. Okay... So it must be an overgrown wraith then...? It's also invisible. But I can see it (?). How come I can see invisible? Water walking master mind flayer now at range four (!!). Crap! Crap! Crap! Fire BDDD's at the nazgul (td). No more holding back! Four lauched. Second one killed it. Phew! But the next two BDDDs traveled off the map - into the water! (boo hoo hoo + very sad face)... Try to step out of the trap. Master mind flayer at range three (!!!). But not lined up for missile attack... Eel coming around from the bottom of the map! Can't get out of the beartrap. I keep failing. Have to fool the computer. Gotta do something different. I'm desperate! Try to step out of the trap - this time in the down (2) direction! IT WORKED! I'M FREE! Let's split the hell-outa here! Zap wand of teleportation. Direction? "." Nothing happens! Uh no... Same thing as the boulders level! I think of wielding the pick-axe and digging a hole through the wall. But it will take 5 turns to do that. Plus 2 turns to exchange and wield. Tentacles' will be on top of me by then. I must blow through now! Zap wand of digging. Direction? "6" "The wall glows then fades." Aww... Come on! What is this!?! Octopus face at range two!! It attacks me! How (?), I ask before looking at all the messages... My cloak of displacement! It went after my displaced images! Step down. We're now lined up. Fire arrows! Four launched! Fire again. Another four are away! Master mind flayer moved down and right. Now at range one!!!! Gawd. My mind is racing. My heart is thumping. It should be almost dead. No? If this thing lands a hit on me; am I going to forget everything again?!? Fire! Three more arrows thump into it. Oh no! It's still standing! Here comes the retal hits! My body stiffens in a spasm of fear. I cringe at the keyboard while reading the results... It missed me 6 times! Cloak of displacement! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I must move again. Have to change squares. The cloak will be reactivated. I step up. It stayed in place! Look at ammo situation. Two BDDD's. Four arrows. Will it be enough? Do I switch to the forked pole-arm? If I do, will it move next to me? Thereby making my wielded weapon pointless? Do I take a chance that it strikes at my displaced images again? I'm going to hold my position. If it moves onto a land square; I'll throw my remaining BDDD's. If it comes up by water; I will fire arrows. My cloak is reactivated. It will take it at least a turn to get next to me. I'll get a free shot. Hope this all works... It swipes at my displaced image from where it is. Great my cloak's advantage is used up. The eel is stuck behind the master mind flayer. I want to step up. But the beartrap is next to me. Do I have time to levitate and clear it? I decide against it. Can't fire or fight properly while floating in the air. It should now move a square. It has 11 arrows sticking into it! It must be on it's last breadth..., no? Come on. You ugly puss! Step up to me! It stepped to the right. Onto the land sqaure. Death to you! BDDD's away! Both lauched. It's still standing! I can't believe it! I'm staring at the screen in a state of awe... My mind is rolling around with the same thoughts continously. I can't stop the cycle... It's still standing! I can't believe it! It's still standing! I can't believe it! It's still standing! I can't believe it! Put on ring of levitation. Master mind flayer has moved up. Float over bear trap and land on the other side. Pleeeease Lord. Let it step into the beartrap... It moved up and over by the water. Damn. Fire! All my remaining arrows fly! The first one felled it. The rest sailing on into the water... It's gone. Pheeeeew! I'm saved from forgetting everything (again). Master mind flayers are tough! They can sure absorb heaps of dammage... "Burrrp!" Eel is here. Flailing at my displaced image. Move up into the doorway again. Kill it with the forked pole arm. Pick up remaining BDDD's and arrows. The nazgul left a wooden ring, a spellbook, and a long sword. Gee. These guys leave nice loot. Untrap beartrap. Re-arm it in the doorway. If something wants to get me from inside again, it will get stuck here for sure. No more sea creatures around. Some bigger islands are over in the distance. Time to float over there. Kill off the monsters in the way, and head for that titans room where my pets are. There's a strip of land on the East side of the titans' room. I'll land there and check out what's happening in the room with my monster detection ability. What a humongous mob of gremlins are here! It's absolutely incredible. Way bigger than the one below. I have to count how many there is. Just so that you have an idea... 49 gremlins! Just from what I can see with normal vision and Longbow of Diana telepathy. Movement is difficult out here. They keep getting in the way. I can see all the monsters inside the titans room now. Well... All the one monster. I only see Burp! Where is Grunt? Where is the titan? Where is the lich? Where are all the other monsters from last time I was here? Could Burp have eaten them all...? Elf secret door detection ability has kicked in again. There's a door on this side. Check for traps. Open and look inside. There's water inside here? Don't remember that from before. My reporting in the story will be more accurate from now on (laugh). Writing while being in the game will greatly enhance this (wink). Put on ring of levitation. Float into the room. Light my lantern. It flickered again. There's something wierd with it...? Could it's polarity have been messed around with? Suspicion starts to set in. I have been exposed to the titan and at least four liches since last time I've played. Hmmm... Drop down on the upstairs. I know there are no traps on this square. Burp comes over and nestles next to me. Awww. Poor Burp. He missed his mistress! Glad to have you back! I give him a big hug. Where is Grunt? I start giving the room a thourough search... I detect a magic trap in the room. And a gapping hole. That's what I fell through when I was last here. It wasen't a trap door. That mystery is now solved. There's a few items strewn about in here. But no BDDD's!? And no poison tipped arrows!? Damn. That's a big let down. Where did they go? Lich disintegration? Rust monster? Gelatinous cube? Picked up and carried off by something? Damn. After the close encounter with the nazgul / master mind flayer, I have but 6 BDDD's... Damn. Damn. Damn. One of the piles turns out to contain; a +2 dwarven mithril coat, a +2 orcish helm, and an elven sheild. My stomach sinks... That stuff belonged to Grunt. No way he dropped it and then went somewhere else. I knew him too well. Grunt is gone for good. I suspect he became peaceful and Burp ate him... He must have picked up that sheild from somewhere. I never knew he had one. Netither wonder he never got hit by anything. Where is that expensive morning star he also had...? Well... Looks like I'll never be able to choke that titan with my bare hands! Burp got to him eventually, I guess. Same went for everything else that was here. Unless... Some of them fell through that hole in here (?). Just like I did last time I was here...? I'll have to remember that for the next time I go down to the next level. I make a note of this in my notes. There are some rocks in the room. I collect them and make a pile where I found Grunts' stuff. "Good-Bye Grunt. You Were Great!" That's what I engraved for him. Levitated off the square and moved away, so that Burp would not go near it. Okay. I leash-up Burp with his leash. Let's head back to base camp dungeon level 24. From there, I'll figure out what to do from now on. We'll come back to this level later. I'll explore it thouroughly then. For now; I just want to be back at that cache with all my stuff. Need to know what I have available again. Damn. Down to only 6 BDDD's... Well. Still got Burp! Dunno how I'll get him accross all the water here and the level below (?)... Ah well. I'll figure something out later. Gotta remember my greatest assets: I'm a Ranger, I'm an Elf. Those two combined means: I'm smart, I'm wise, I'm resourceful. I'll figure something out. Not only for Burp, but for what to do in the near future. First thing is to get back up to the ex-temple of Mars. Damn. Down to only 6 BDDD's... Part 25: Hauntings ------------------ Up the stairs. Heah! Feels good climbing these at my leisure, while not in a desperate situation (grin). Not like the first and second encounter with the titan, the third and last one, I fell through the hole here... (laugh) I'm now keeping an open text document (MS notepad), while going through the Mazes of Menace. Just like one of the r.g.r.n. deities had suggested to me a while back. I'm keeping track of how many BDDD's it takes to drop certain monsters. Oh my... There's a baculathrium. Wonder if it will take more than six of them (that's all I have left)... Fire one salvo. Fire another. Just about to fire my last one when all of a sudden... "Burrrp!" Oh well. I'll have to wait for another to show up. Or keep Burp on a tighter leash (laugh). Lot's of heavy duty wandering monsters appearing now. Tougher ones than I remember from when I was playing over a month ago. Wonder if my recent increase in experience level has anything to do with it... I'm also keeping track of how many of my blessed arrows from the Longbow of Diana get mulched versus the number I fire from it. Yes siree... These are defintely more resistant to getting scragged compared to non-blessed arrows. I was suspecting that a while back. Now that I'm keeping notes, it's starting to come to light statistically. Blessing objects, like the guide says, does seem to make them better. If I can get a few more open boxes, I might check the one next to "axe" in the enhance screen. This being for that blessed battle-axe I keep lugging around from time to time. If I can find another vial of a blessed clear potion; I may very well dip my forked pole-arm in it. Then it would be one mean weapon also, eh? It's the only weapon that I have skills in that is not blessed. Come to think of it... I wonder if Burp's teeth would work better if I were to shove such a vial in his mouth...? I know that a wand of speed works on him. Maybe blessed clear potions would too... Hmmm... Okay. Now approaching the ex-temple of Mars on dungeon level 24. I'm going through my light passage at the perimeter, just about to open one of the doors into it when... "A shiver runs down your spine." Woah... How come? Is Mars upset? I pause at the open door to the dark interiore of the room. I better light my brass lantern. It flickered again. And again. I have to test this thing on the altar. Light from the lantern breaks the darkness in the room. I see nothing moving around in here. I displace Burp inside the room and unleash him. Go see what's there Burp... Nothing. Burp is milling about around my cache. Funny. Grunt never did that. I dropped cursed mummy wrappings on all the squares with my piles and the chest. Burp must not be phased by such things... Hokay. Must have been a message signifying that Jubilex is waiting for me on his plane in the Abyss. Ha! I go straight to the altar, but Burp beats me to it. Get outa my way Burp. I need access to this thing. Burp is unperturbed and drops some rocks on the altar. I patiently wait for him to move away. Finally he decides to. I step up to it. There are 80 rocks here! (laugh) He sure can carry around some weight! I take the rocks away from the altar of Mars. Sorry Mars, Burp's not too smart. He meant no disrespect. Now I strip everything off my body. Everything. Can't take any chances. One titan, and at least four liches since last time I did this. I'm starting to get to know some of these guys... Just as I suspected. The brass lantern is cursed. Lucky though. Polarity reversal would have logically been darkness instead of light being shed from it. Instead it looks like it just has a hard time staying lit. I have another in the cache here. I'll just exchange it for the uncursed one. Rest of my inventory looks okay. Thought my snowboots were blessed at one time. But it's been so long since I've played that I kind of forget now... The forked pole-arm is uncursed. Too bad. It would have been a real bonus if it would have been blessed. Start rooting through all the stuff in my cache here. My my. I sure have a lot of junk. Some things I had completely forgotten about. There is a blessed glass orb here. Also some kind of horn. Not a musical one it seems... Wonder what it does... Nothing that I can tell... Lot's of potions here too... In fact lots of unknown objects. I'll have to get some scrolls of identify for all this loot eventually. Wonder if I can learn the spell from a book... Hokay. I have 140 blessed arrows in my cache. Goodie, goodie, good, good (laugh). I grab 20 to bolster my missile weaponery. There is also one poisoned arrow here. I will keep it also. Never know when I can run into something that may need one shot to bring it down - like a master mind flayer! Fix up my inventory and go back downstairs with Burp to finish clearing out level 27. Dungeon Level 27 (The Titan's Level): - islands between staircases - beartrap - magic trap - statue of a giant ant - statue of a stone golem (x4) - statue of a soldier (x2) - statue of a rust monster - statue of a leperchaun - statue of a red dragon - statue of a lich - statue of a Green-elf - statue of a giant mimic - statue of an orc captain - statue of Perseus - statue of Medusa Took about three trips back and forth. Clearing out the titan's level was longer than harder. Mainly due to all the water on and around the islands. Must be very careful to make sure I have the ring of levitation on before moving over any water. Monsters are randomly generated, but never any sea creatures. Tons of gremlins are all about here. They go into the water as easily as walking over land. I leave the doors to the titans room open. That way Burp can reduce their numbers somewhat. Funny, though. Although he swallows many monsters whole; he never does so to gremlins (?). Instead he just kills them with one mighty crunch from his jaw. Hmmm... Wonder why that is... A few monsters around the islands. Some random wandering monsters also. But none posed any problem: A coutal, a mindflayer (yuch!), a green dragon, a xan, a baby blue dragon, a kobold shaman, a dwarf lord. Nothing revealed themselves from underneath all the statues after I had moved them. None came to life either - good! The trips ferrying booty from level 27 up to level 24 turned out more exciting than actually discovering what was left on the titans level. Burp and eating different corpses was what made it fun (laugh). Took some psyching up before being able to bring myself to eating certain corpses; but all in all, it wasen't too bad. Just had to get to them before Burp did (laugh). I was burdened, of course, at one point when I got hammered by a flesh golem. But just before I could throw BDDD's... "Burrrp!" A jabberwock!? Where did I here of those before... Monty Python and the Holy Grail (?)... Yeah... I think that was it (!). These things are dangerous then. They are fast and can swallow something whole. I better keep Burp away from this thing. Don't want to lose him. Drop all my extra weight. Count the range. It is six. Too close. Better keep some distance. These things were extremely fast in the movie. Range is now nine. Fire! All arrows hit. But what is this? it just sat there...? Fire again. No movement. Could it be impervious to arrows? Hmmm... They had to use a 'Holy Hand Grenade' to get rid of it, if I recall correctly... Yeah, that was it. Oh well. I'll leave it be for now then. I'll grab a wand of striking at the cache and nail it with that next time I pass by here. Other wandering monsters included a platoon of soldier ants... "Burrrp!" A zruty ... "Burrrp!" An ice troll... "Burrrp!" A gold golem... "Burrrp!" A fire giant... "Burrrp!" Whenever I saw something get too close to me; just had to displace Burp tactically. How a little female Elf like me, can shove a huge purple worm around like Burp, is a little beyond my comprehension of the physical sciences (lots of laughs). No need to even drop stuff in order to become unencumbered. Let me tell you; Burp is one handy pet! Every trip back to the ex-temple of Mars greeted me with some kind of message. Usually this one: "A shiver runs down your spine. On the last trip back, it was the same except for... "A shiver runs down your spine. An enourmous ghost appears next to you! You are frightened to death and unable to move. Burp swallows Heather's ghost. Burrrrp! Heather's ghost is destroyed! You regain your composure." Wow! Ghosts are extremely dangerous. Seems like I was correct in my previous assumptions about them (See Part 8). Who is Heather? Could it have been the preistess of Mars? Was that her real name? (shrug) I'll have to keep note of all the ghost's names now as well. Maybe there is some kind of pattern. Then. All of a sudden: "A shiver runs down your spine. An enourmous ghost appears next to you! You are frightened to death and unable to move. Burp swallows Adri's ghost. Burrrrp! Adri's ghost is destroyed! You regain your composure." Holy freakolie! What's happening here? This old temple is becoming a ghost magnet! Who is Adri? Oh man. This is no good. I have a huge cache here. Can't be having all these ghosts scaring the bejesus out of me all the time! I better fix things up in here. It's no longer a temple. So I figure Mars won't mind if I shed some light in here now. I go to the chest and pull out a few scrolls of light. Two of them were sufficient to light the whole interiore of the room. There now. Ghost's can't stand light. That should take care of the problem. There also someone counting money somewhere on this level...? Could it be an undiscovered shop? Never heard that kind of message before - or I should say - I've never paid too much attention to all the random dungeon sounds as I do now. Could it be related to the hauntings at the ex-temple of Mars? Could these be the ghosts like in the story with 'Scrooge'? I go around the level with the monster detection ability supplied by the Longbow of Diana. Nothing. Hmmm... I go and verify that monster generating room on this level also. The one with the unknown shattered statue. Nothing again... Heading back to the old temple, a baculathrium is generated from that room! Yes there is definetly something strange about that room. I have not been able to put my finger on it yet. I'll have to try and dig around here some time in the futur. I shove Burp out the door and wait for the dinosaur to approach me. No way I'll ever be able to lift this thing onto the altar should it leave a corpse. Once it is on the same square as the altar, I kill it with BDDD's and arrows. The cloack of displacement has saved me from taking a hit. I knew it would. These things are slow also. So I again knew that I was relatively safe in this tactic. I offered it to Mars. He took it in a burst of flame. Great! Now he has some "Bronto Burgers" for a barbecue in the sky (grin). On the way back down, I was still mulling over these ghostly encounters in my mind. So wasen't paying too much attention to my path through the lower level... "Burrrp!" Oh well. There went the jabberwock (laugh)! Ogre lord. "Burrrp!" Mindflayer. I fired the poisoned arrow. It failed it's saving throw. Har Har (big grin)! I was about to try and psych myself up to try and eat the corpse, but Burp swallowed it before I could bring myself to it. Phew... No more problem trying to get the courage up. Thanks Burp. Last booty trip completed. I outfit myself with 40+ blessed arrows. Also bring along two wands of striking. Everything else that is superflous will be left behind. I want to get Burp down to the level of the fortress. From there, I may either take a look at level 29, if it's possible to get Burp down there, or start ferrying booty up to here again. Although I should really be consolidating my character, being a Ranger makes me feel itchy about doing something exciting. Although I'm not sure how yet; I think I'll try to get Burp down to level 29. Yeah. I'll really try to do that. Still wish I had more than just 6 BDDD's, though... Okay, big buddie. Let's get you down there. On the titan's level; I tried to lure him into the hole I had fallen through once before. Nope. He didn't want to go there. Hmmm... Allright. I levitated over the hole. Unleashed him. Then moved away, directly opposite of him. Burp disappeared! Okay. Got him down one level. Now I levitated accross the water and went down the stairs. I didn't want to jump down the hole, in case the titan, lich, and company, had fallen through from the time I climbed up here before. Got down, and my monster detection revealed, only Burp and the mob of gremlins that also inhabit this side of this level also. Okay. So that titan is really gone. Now it's confirmed. Burp had him for a snack when Medusa got stoned. Also ate all the other monsters from above. What a veritable boon ol' Burp was (laugh!)! Next trick was how to get him across the water to enter the fortress. But first: If I can blow through this drawbridge, it will shorten the path of entry quite considerably compared to going all around the map to the back door... While Burp was crunching up some gremlins, I pulled out a wand of striking and zaped it at the drawbridge. There was a thundering crashing sound. "The portcullis falls into the moat." A portcullis? Never saw it indicated. That's an iron grate. But there was now an opening where the drawbridge once was. (shrug) Whatever. It will do. This is what I had wanted any ways. Okay Burp let's go. I tug on the leash and levitate over the water and hover in the newly made entranceway. Burp is still snapping at whatever gremlin gets too close to him. I pull out the wand of teleportation. I've been tipped off by the r.g.r.n. dieties that although my wand won't work on me, it may work on others in place like the boulders level. Such as this level is. Zap. Which direction? I'm just about to hit key "4" when... My cat, Mademoiselle, jumps into my lamp! Then, in a seemingly effortless movement, she bounds onto the key board! Things flash all over the computer screen! She then starts waving her tail back and forth, rubbing it all over my face. Windows are opening and closing! I grab the cat, as gingerly as possible, and shoo her out of the room. Back at the computer, I try and figure what dammage has been done. My text document, in MS notepad, has disappeared! I was keeping notes and statistics on blessed arrows, monsters, how many BDDD's it took for them to fall, etc. It is gone - gone - gone! (groan). Almost as effective as a mindflayer attack (!). (laugh - but not really) Somehow, I get the window with the game back up. The writing in the message area is all funny. Some sentences are now gone. I can't make out what had happened. But on the map, I'm still where I was, however, Burp is now next to me - over the water! How that happened, I have no idea!? Oh my God! He may drown in the next move! I dare not save the game as is. Else it may save all the garbled stuff. Have to somehow get it going normal again before saving. I have experienced stuff like this in other games before. I still have the ring of levitation on. I move straight left. Hoping to displace Burp over to where I was... IT WORKED! Phew... He's saved from drowning! I wait till he steps further into the fortress. I then levitate inside and float to the floor. Now I lead him to the cache where the throne is located. I move around a bit, and check if all the various screens are working properly. Everything seems to be acting normal. Okay. Now I save the game and reboot the computer... Fire the game back up. Everything still seems to be fine. Good. There's a peaceful ogre hanging out nearby. I lead Burp to it... "Burrrp!" Good. Burp still works like he did before. Phew... (laugh) I walk around till I find another monster, this time a lizard. Have to see if I'm working normally also. Fire arrows. Fire BDDD's (only one: n1td). Walk up to it and punch and kick it. It died. Good. Things seem okay. I pick it up and put it into the chest before Burp gets to it. Hokay then. Let's see if I can get you down to level 29 now, Burp. We go to the trap doors. I unleash him and levitate over one and come down the other side. There, I wait and look at Burp, who waits and looks at me. I look at Burp. Burp looks at me. Hmmm... Need to do something else. I float back over to him, hovering over the trapdoor. I leash him up again. Now I displace him over the tapdoor. Burp just stays there. Like in suspended animation. Just hovering over the opening. I look at Burp. Burp looks at me. Until something comes along and he eats it (laugh)! Okay. I have another idea. I wait till he finishes eating - signaled to me by; him moving off the trapdoor onto a land square. Now then... Wonder if this will work... With the leash still on; I move over the trapdoor and remove the ring of levitation. "You float gently to the ground." "There is a trapdoor here." "You fall through the trapdoor!" No message about the leash snaping or breaking. Good. Although I can't see how it is physically possible, due to Burp being so much more massive than I; I know that Burp will be dragged down through the trapdoor with me... Part 26: Escape From The Valley Of The Dead ------------------------------------------- Burp and I landed just next to the upstairs on level 29. "You have entered the Valley of the Dead." "Burnt flesh and decay pervades the air." "You hear moans and groans everywhere." Okay... Now I'm sure of it. This is the place that Izchak has told me about. This is supposed to be somekind of gateway to another place, or plane, or something. So he said to me any ways. Wonder if the gateway is going to be a portal, like the one that goes to the Home levels... (?) The level is colored red here. What does that signify? Blood? Fire? I better be careful of traps. I'll light the brass lantern while I'm at it. Never can have too many types of 'visions' when in an unfamiliar place... My my... Are there ever an assortement of monsters here. Looks like the monsters from the level above that fell through the trapdoor, have indeed assembled down here... I can see at least 6 soldier types; some mummy types; a rust monster type; a wraith type - better be careful in case it's a nazgul; a vampire; a kobold shaman - must be lost (laugh); and some other assorted big things. Allright then. Burp; you start gobbling anything that gets too close. I'll dance around you near the stairs here. This looks like it's gonna be fun (grin). Throw some BDDD's at a soldier. Aw darn. He stepped out of firing line of sight. No problem. Exchange. Wield forked pole-arm. Oups. That mummy is too close. Dance around Burp a bit. Thrust with forked pole-arm. Thrust with forked pole-arm. Monsters are closing in from around. Seem to be funneling in from the left and upper right of the map, though. Must be due to terrain... Exchange. Fire some blessed arrows. Fire some blessed arrows. I want those BDDD's I threw away earlier. Should have held onto them a little longer. Rust monster breaking through the pack! This is starting to get exciting (laugh!)! Dance around Burp. Try to line up rust monster for arrow firing. Don't want to risk my BDDD's or pole-arm on it... Come on Burp! Eat something, will ya!? Fire some blessed arrows. Rust monster is too cagey. Forcing me to fire on other things for the time being... "Burrrp!" Wow! Them soldier types sure are throwing a lot of garbage at me. I want my BDDD's back. Fire some blessed arrows. Oups! Vampire next to me. Cloak of displacement came through. BDDD's away! Fire blessed arrows. "Burrrp!" Geeeze. One more shot of arrows would have finished him off! Why didn't you swallow something unscathed?! (mumble, grumble) Ouf! That mummy landed a blow on me. Have to step away... Step away. Exchange. Thrust with forked pole-arm. Thrust with forked pole-arm. Rust monster at range two! Heah Burp! I could use some help. They're starting to crowd in a bit here (!!). Step away. Burp now at range three from me. Decision time... Which weapon to use? Hang on. Starting to get a small crowd around me. Step away first. Pull on leash. Burp is still eating. We'll go to the bow. Exchange. Rust monster is now lined up. Fire blessed arrows. They rust. Fire blessed arrows. They rust. Rust monster swiping at me! It hit twice! Nothing affected - snow boots did not rust (See Part 10 - laugh!). Where was my cloak?! Heah! I'm getting too crowded here. Yank on leash again. Burp won't budge. Path to the stairs is now blocked. Gawd. Fire blessed arrows at rust monster. They rust. I'm losing too much ammo! Things are starting to get tense here...! "Burrrp!" Get away from me vile creature! Kick with snow boots. Kick with snow boots. Rust monster still trying to touch me with its antenae. Pull out wand. Zap. Rust monster teleportated away. Other monsters have steped forward. Just took three hits! Ouch. Yank on leash. Burp won't budge - still! Untie leash. Step to my left. Fire blessed arrows. Fire blessed arrows. Step to my left. This is too dangerous. I may step on a polymorph trap... Alert! Lich! Lich alert! Lich on the move! Ghost! Ghost! Two ghosts coming! Gawd. Search. Cloak of displacement has saved me from some swipes. Step to my left. Five monsters crowding me in. I want to get my BDDD's that are just a little ways away. Search. Fire blessed arrows. You know... This is starting to be 'not' fun. Alcove to my left. I'll try and make a stand in there. Lots of monsters all around. Where are they all coming from? Soldier in front of me. I'll take the hits from him. Search. Cloak is working great. Search. Step back and down. Crash. Something has broken on me. I can't move! Took eight hits! I can move again. No place to go. Monsters are two ranks deep. Can I break through to the stairs? The fun has now ceased. Lich at range two! Ghosts at range three! Throw last BDDD. Exchange. Thrust with forked pole-arm. Thrust with forked pole-arm. Wish it were blessed. It will be blessed next time I get a blessed clear potion (!). Cloak of displacement has come through. Somehow. I haden't moved a square in order to reactivate it. Could it be per monster per activation...? I forget. Can't stop to consider it now. Have to fight my way out of here. Lich next to me. Exchange. Fire arrows. No more ammo. Lich making monsters aware of my prsesence. Smack lich in the face with Blessed Longbow of Diana. Smack lich in the face with Blessed Longbow of Diana. Lich touches me. Eek! I make my saving throw. Think it was against the ice touch. Kick lich in the nuts. Lich has moved back a square. Exchange. Stick forked pole-arm into lich. I have to get this thing (the pole-arm) blessed... Vampire next to me! Ghost next to me. Coming through the walls. Lich has summoned some nastie monsters. I have no ammo. What ever made me think this was going to be fun? Burp! Where are you? What are you doing?! "Burrrp!" Oh good. Eat your way towards me! And... HURRY UP!! Man. There sure are a lot of monsters here. Is that a wraith over there? Better look... It's a nazgul - the super wraiths. It's invisible. But the r.g.r.n. deities have informed me that I can see invisible at level 15 of Rangerhood. That explains how come I saw one on the Titan's Level (27). Better keep my eye on it... Thrust with forked pole arm. Heah... What's this!? MIND FLAYER AT RANGE TWO! Where did it come from!? Arghhh! Look at inventory. Okay... Time to split. Zap wand of teleportation. Direction? "." Nothing happens (!). (major groan + long moan) How come all these tense levels are like the one at the boulders?!? Exchange. Wield silver dagger. Thrust at vampire. Vampire touches me! I hate being touched! Ghost touches me. Ack! I hate being touched! Desperation starting to set in. Time for one of my emergency secret weapons (!). Pull out the silver wand. Aim at a corner angle in the alcove behind me. Close eyes. Zap the wand... Zing! Zing! Zing! Zing! Zing! Zing! Lightning flashes ricochet all over the place! "Burrrp!" Look around. Everybody is still standing? Okay then... Close eyes. Zap the wand... Zing! Zing! Zing! Zoing (that was from my amulet)! Zing! Zing! Zing! Lightning flashes ricochet all over the place! Scan immediate surrounding area. Lich is gone. Mindflayer is gone. Vampire is gone. All monsters are stopped dead in their tracks. No monster wants to get next to me. Ha! Let's take advantage of the momentary shock effect... Step up. Pick up some arrows. Stab at soldier. Stab at soldier. Cloak of displacement working like a charm. Can it be getting fun again...? Ghosts are back. Nope. Fun is quickly dashed away. Step to the right. "Burrrp!" Nazgul bearing down from 2 o'clock! Step away - down and left. Hopefully it will try and come accross Burps jaws. Hurry up and digest Burp! I want you to try nazgul fillet (!). Leutenant has stabbed me with a BDDD! Owwww! That hurt! She's stabbing me again! OUCH! Stab her back. Stab her back. "Burrrp!" Thanks Burp! Now I have to step on the square where she was. If only there weren't so many other monsters around... Exchange. Search. Step up. Pick up BDDD's. Cloak has offered displacement to one of the ghosts. Great. Step up and right. Burp now next to me. Good. Still many monsters around and close. Too close. This is bad. Nazgul almost here! Pick up BDDD's and some blessed arrows. Lich at range three! Is it the same one as before? They teleport. Monsters are summoned. Monsters are aware of my presence. Monsters are all around again. Need to force a path to those stairs. Need it desperately. Too many around me. Can't decide which one to stab. Nothing will go down in one round any ways. Have to hope that they move in such a way that a path will open. Stay and do nothing for a turn: Apply leash to Burp. Lizard next to me? What's this? Monsters are transposing themselves in place? "Burrrp!" Burp ate it. Burp got transformed into a spider!?! AH NO! It must have been a chameleon... Yuch (digust)! I hate spiders!! Step to the right. Unleash this thing from me. Burp has poisoned something? Opening to my right. I step in that direction. Monsters filling the void I left behind... There are way too many here. This level must be open. No rooms. Everything is able to get here eventually - and too soon. Nazgul range two! Exchange. Wield Longbow of Diana. Step right. Throw BDDD's. Fire blessed arrows. Exchange. Wield BDDD. Only one left. I'm holding onto it. Crowded again. Too tight. Burp is trying to get back to me. Ick (!). Thrust with BDDD. Cloack of displacement working sometimes. Sometimes not. Nazgul next to me. Thrust with BDDD. Thrust with BDDD. Opening up and right. I step there. Need the cloak reactivated. Nazgul missed thanks to the cloak. Thrust with BDDD. Thrust with BDDD. It's destroyed. Lich is here! Two ghosts on my right and behind. Can't get to the stairs. Only way open is up and right. Where two vampires are. Zap wand of teleportation at lich. No effect! (groan). Ghost touched me! Ack! Other ghost touched me! ACK! Run! Up and right. Stop. Look all around. Assess. Run. Up and right. Cloak working well. I'm moving constantly. Can't stop to pick up weapons though. Wish I knew how to work the autopick-up options properly (!!). Vampires have missed. Ghosts are too slow. Mummies are slow also. I can avoide them thanks to the cloak of displacement and constantly changing squares. But some other monsters are fast and accurate. I'm no longer killing anything. This is going to get worse - AS IF IT ISIN"T ALREADY (forced laugh)! Step up. Step up. Turn around and take a few swipes at something. Wraith I think. If I lose any levels. Things will get even more tense. Too far from the stairs. Too many monsters there any ways. I'm beggining to think I'm going to get killed sooner or later now. I have been engulfed in an endless mob of monsters. How many charges on my wands do I have left? Step up and right... BAMF! Teleportation trap! I've been moved several squares up and several more to the left! A small breather is allowed. Most monsters were going the wrong way. Quickly I assess the new situation... Maybe if I could find some stairs down? Run to a lower level. That would be great now. Re-assess from there. But where could they be. I have explored hardly anything on this level! Is my lantern still lit? Yes. Okay... Make an educated guess. Maybe this way... Something has just blinded me! Can't see no bats next to me? What caused it? Too many messages. Some kind of trap...? Something exploded...? And what is this?! I can now see all the monsters on the entire level!?! Ghosts, liches, vampires, wraiths. The whole place is rife with them! There must be at least 20 ghosts! Many, many other monsters as well! I count roughly 72! Gawd! Gawd! Gawd! Eee-gads... Not good. I will never be able to kill off enough of these monsters with what I have available in my arsenal... I try and figure out the general lay out of this level with how all these monsters are placed all about... Yes... It seems like it is an open level. Similar to the caverns levels... Ponder... (sigh) Think... ** Step away from the computer. Go have coffee + smoke. ** I'm going to make a run for it. Gonna try and get back to the upstairs. I'll use whatever I have left of the charges in my wands to force away and/or kill whatever is in my way... Nope I won't die. I count the number of squares to the stairs. Must go around three bends that the walls have formed. That I'm sure of. That the path will be elongnated. Nope. I won't die. I'll lose some levels, perhaps. Maybe get a few things disintegrated. Hope it's not the Longbow of Diana. Gawd. I hope it won't be that... I'll stay blind for now. Won't apply the unicorn horn. Want to see how everything is moving - as I move. Step right. Step right. Something here...? I feel around. A potion. Some BDDD's (!). How did they get here? Pick them up. Move. Move. Move. Burp is making his way towards me. Gross. He's moving faster than when he was a purple worm though... Monsters from the entire level are converging on me. Yes. Every single one on the whole friggin' entire level! Every last one of them. I can't fight. Have to keep moving. Cloak is working like a charm... For now. Solid wall of monsters in my way. One is a wraith. It will be the fastest for me to be able to drop. Throw BDDD's. I'm touched by several things. ACK! ACK! Saving throws are made though. Thrust at wraith with BDDD. It's down. Auto pick-up is now on. Step to where it was. Pick up everything there in one tick of the clock. Monsters crowding in. Many have missed. An opening down and right. Move there. Move again. Four squares of clear space in front of me! Run! RUN! Monsters have been summoned. Damn. Blocked again. Many misses. Some hits. I haven't lost a level - amazing. Vampire lord and vampires touching me. A wraith - perhaps a nazgul also. Gawd... Damn this. Damn yous all! Zap wand of lightning! Zap wand of lightning! An opening again. Things swipe and touch me. Run! RUN!. Hemmed in again. Zap wand of striking. Zap wand of striking. Move. Zap wand of striking. Zap wand of striking. Move. Move. I'm hit. I'm hit. Hit points at 50%. Must keep moving. I'm slow. I want boots of speed (!). Cloak has come through many, many times. But if I were faster. I would have covered twice the distance by now. Move. Swipe. Hit. Swipe. Touch. Miss. Miss. Dodge. Move. Lunge with BDDD. Avoide. Deflect. It's a dance. I'm dancing with creatures of death. Stop! I can see the stairs. Range eight. Full of monsters. Almost in every square. I'm no longer blind. But I know all too well what everything is lurking just beyond the shadows of my lantern. Zap wand of lightning! Zap wand of lightning! Zap wand of lightning! Zap wand of lightning! Zap again. It's empty! Move. RUN. Must close off all the squares I can before they fill back up. Endless messages at results of monster swipes. I don't look anymore. Just keeping an eye on my hit points and my level. Solid wall of monsters again. Four rows deep. But the stairs are two (or is it three) squares away. Exchange. Throw BDDD's Thrust with silver dagger. Monster dies. Take swipes. Dodge many blows. Make saving throws. Step forward. Take all the hits. Throw BDDD's. Thrust with silver dagger in hand. Go down - God damn it! Take more swipes. Dodging blows. Thanks to the cloak. Make saving throws. Think my cloak resisted getting disintegrated. PHEW! Hit points at 40%. Thrust. It went down. I think no corpse was left... Auto pick-up back on. Move forward. The stairs! I'm next to the stairs! Throw BDDD's. Thrust. Thrust. Flurry of messages. Auto pick-up on. Move forward. Picked up a corpse as well as my BDDD's. I'm burdened. Took a good hit. 16 hit points in one shot. But it will be over soon. SHIFT + < I'm out of it... I'm exhausted... Haven't lost a level. Hit points will regenrate soon enough. No more pet with me. Must have a few items cursed. I'll find out when I get back to base camp level 24. What's left in my missile weapons? 3 blessed rusty arrows, and 3 BDDD's. (shake head) Oh well. But... I got of it! Wow...! I head back to the throne room of the fortress, where my cache is located. The forked pole arm is held but in one hand. I have no strength. The point is dragging on the ground behind me. My armor is full of claw, scratch and bite marks. My cape (cloak) must be quite tatered also. Blood, sweat, and the filth from the Valley of the Dead cover my form. I'm dead tired (faint snicker) Ice vortex. I really don't want to fight... n2td. It died. Once there: I pull out a potion of booze from the chest. I need a good drink. Then I collapse in a sitting position next to the throne. Using it as a rest for my back to be proped against. I pull hard on the vial. The liquid burns as it flows down my throat. Good. Now my insides are suffering from the same sensation as the wounds make me feel on the outside. Body will stabilise soon enough. For now, I'm going to get drunk. Then, once the headache has gone; I'll have to re-assess everything. The road to retrieving the amulet is getting filled with increasing harder obstacles. Going is definetly getting tougher. I'm spending a lot of time just on these levels (27, 28, and now 29). They are very hard to breach. Wonder if this portal on the level below will be bringing me to similar difficult situations...? I no longer have Burp to aid me... Poor Burp... I've abondoned him. I can't have that thing as a pet though (shudder)... I sit back and close my eyes. Have to rethink how I am going to progress from here on end... I need to make a list of things I need. It's time to reconsolidate my character again... Time to bolster my equipement... Time to maybe consolidate all my belongings in one place... Yeah. I've been away too long. Have to see what I have in all my caches again... I start to make a mental list... A wish list. - Blessed clear potion for the forked pole-arm. - Runed arrows. A whole bunch of them. I want to be able to fire five again. - Blessed clear potion to bless the runed arrows. Else they will get mulched. - Many scrolls of identify. - A spellbook of identify. - Boots of speed. - Blessed clear potion to bless my runed bow. - Scrolls of enchant weapon. For more BDDD's. - Blessed clear potion to bless the newly enchanted daggers. - Blessed clear potion to bless my cloak of displacement. - A stack of wands; lightning, slow monster, death. - A lamp. The kind with the eternal flame. - A crate full of blessed clear potions. I can then bless all my armor. Heck! I'll bless everything. Wands, weapons, rings, tools... Har! Better make that 'three' crates of blessed clear potions... Time to rest and dream for a while... Time to let my intuition dance, and subconscious mind wander, to the symphony provided by this vial of booze... Part 27: Jungle Boots And Fencing Gloves ---------------------------------------- After taking a couple days off, and considering a few things. I have come to the conclusion that I need some better stuff - within my inventory - in order to be able to progress more effectively on the road to retrieving the Amulet of Yendor - for Mars. Especially after that last experience within The Valley of the Dead! Went to the chest, and pulled out the wand of wishing. I know what I had said about it earlier, but I have changed my mind. No, I'm not playing out of character. My character is female. Changing their mind is, entirely, a female prerogative (wink)! Now then. With that justified... Let's try getting something real nifty (big grin). I've narrowed it down to a few things: A spellbook of identify, a blessed clear potion (for the forked pole-arm), some runed arrows, speed boots, and a bag of holding. I wonder how many wishes this wand will provide? Better start with the most important items first... Zap. "You can wish for an object." "What do you wish for?" "Speed Boots" (Puh-leeze!) "A pair of jungle boots." Okay... Now let's try them on... Yes! Boots of speed! Allright! This will help greatly with just about everything I encounter now (dance, dance)! Zap. "You can wish for an object." "What do you wish for?" "Bag of Holding" (Pleeaze!) "A bag." Hmm... Hope it's the right one... Pick up a pile of stuff till I'm burdened. Apply the bag. Put all the junk in. I'm now unburdened! Yes! YES! This will make all the booty ferrying so much the more pleasent! Hoo-ray (dance some more)! I adjust the inventory letter to "b". Zap. "Nothing happens." Ohh... Well... Maybe it can be recharged. Hopefully I'll be able to force another charge out of it too - at some point. Hopefully with these two new items; I'll be able to find the other objects on my 'wish list' once I start collecting all the stuff from all my caches. This is great. I'm really satisfied for now. Really happy. Feel very confident. Yes indeed (big smile!). Allrighty then. Let's get to work. Collect all the junk here that looks interesting. Bring it to the altar of Mars on level 24 and test for cursedness. We'll see from there. I'm kind of excited. Some potentially interesting stuff is here. Have to be a little carefull about letting things get next to me, though. My snowboots gave me four points towards the armor class. Not so with the speed boots. But, then again, I can move twice as fast now. Give and take. Compensate in other ways (wink). Dunno why. But there's something gnawing in my mind continously: I maybe should have gotten a blessed clear potion for the forked pole-arm... I'll try and get rid of that thought. But maybe my intuition is really trying to tell me something... I'll see. Maybe force that last zap out of the wand sooner than I think... Fighting wandering monsters is all different now. My boots of speed really played havoc with the number of ticks (on the clock) that I was used to before a monster moved. Now, I often found myself moving before I had to. As now I had a few, but not always, more than before to spare. Just have to re-adjust and get used to it. Have to adapt to the change. Woah! Talk about luck! An air elemental has appeared on level 26. These things are fast. Wonder if they're as fast as a jabberwock? This is a wonderful opportunity to test my jungle boots. Range to the air elemental is 12. I drop the bag and take off in the opposite direction from the whirlwind. Now I start counting the ticks on the clock... It took six ticks before it was able to engulf me! Now remeber; I sometimes get to move and no ticks are used. So actual moves were greater than that even. These jungle boots are going to be just absolutely fantastic from here on end! Throw BDDD's (all three launched). Fire blessed arrows. Fire blessed arrows. Air elemental is sent to the plane of air. Elementals, just like demons, devils, daemons, et al, can only be killed on their own plane. Here, I can only banish them to theirs. I got hurt a little more than what I remember from before. Must be my reduced armor class. (sigh) Those were good days when I had an armor class of -22 (see Parts 10 - 12)... Ah well. Things will get better again. I can sense it! Three trips of booty from the fortress to base camp has ensued. Having cast light in the room here, sure has helped (See Part 25). Now I get the message; "You feel like your being watched." He he. I was right. Ghosts can't enter an area with light. All they can do is watch me from beyonde the scope of illumination. I kind of like this - in some sort of strange way. It's kind of eerie, yet chaotic. Being surrounded by spirits that can't reach you. Ha! Big time discoveries with some of the initial booty. Fencing gloves have revealed themselves as gauntlets of power (!). When I wear them, my strength goes up to TWENTY FIVE! That's god-like strength! That's way beyond gauntlets of ogre power (18/** strength)! Absolutely incredible. These, combined with the bag of holding, allow me to carry massive amounts of loot (!). Also makes my ring of +2 strength kind of useless when I have it on. I got hit by something that was carrying a wand of magic missiles. So the polished silver sheild has revealed itself as a sheild of reflection. Also: A large sheild has turned out to be +1 AND blessed! I'll replace the polished silver sheild with it. Oh. While talking about that; I've discovered something when I get targeted by a reflectable attack. The sheild reflects first. If I'm not wearing it, then the Longbow of Diana will reflect. If I'm not wielding that, then my amulet will take over the reflection duties. So I'm not too, too worried about not having the sheild anymore (wink). I may just carry it in the bag when I'm exploring though. Never know when a lich can disintegrate something... A pair of +2 leather gloves (riding gloves) also turned up. I'll keep them in the bag also when exploring. A +2 crested helmet has also been revealed. It was also blessed. Wonderful. I'm liking this blessed stuff more and more. It must be resistant to disintegration too, I betcha. Okay... This is is wonderful. With all this new found / discovered / acquired booty; I quickly head back down to the fortress for some more hauling... Back on level 28. I got here by droping down the hole from the titan's level. Makes traveling faster, instead of having to levitate accross all that water. Hmm... Maybe that's an idea. Dig a hole near the downstairs of difficult and/or time consuming levels. I may implement this in other areas... Hmm... Waded through the gremlin horde and loaded up with weapons for the next trip back up to base camp. While thinking about weapons... Before going back up, I think I have figured out how to get those inbeded projectile weapons out of the fortress walls from having killed them xorns (see Part: 20). One of the r.g.r.n deities gave me a clue... I went up to the area in question - from within the fortress. Next I tried to untrap them ("u"). Nope. Try again. Nope. Try another square. Nope. Try the third square. Nope. Awww... This ain't working! Out of frustration I kicked the wall... I kicked loose some arrows (!). They fell in the square I was standing in! Oh great! That's the ticket (laugh!). I then proceeded to kick them all loose and picked them up. Not as many survived all of this, as I had originally launched when killing the xorns, but, better than not being able to retrieve them at all. Any ways. Another discovery for me in Nethack (smile). On the way out of the fortress, I saw a really odd picture of a monster. Looked like the ball at the end of the chain on a morning star. Range to target was a whoping 24! It was colored black also. Hmmm... Better do the look (";")... A black light! Wow! So that's what they look like, eh? This 'see invisible' vision is pretty nifty (grin). Now then: I will take this opportubity to observe how these creatures behave. I can't do this with, the Longbow of Diana's, real time monster detection ability. As black lights have no brain waves to lock onto, like I was able to do for the stalker for instance (see Part 17). Hmmm... Black lights sure wander around pretty aimlessly. Yellow lights are very good at zeroing in on you. Not so is the case for these things. More like passive mines - definetly not torpedoes. Okay. I'll walk up to it and have it commit suicide... It did so at range three. Cloak of displacement, you know (grin). Okay. Back up I go... Level 27. Levitating accross the water. Levitating somehow increases my carrying capacity. Not too sure yet by how much. But by a good 1,600 zswt (zorkmind standard weight) with strength of 25. More on this later when, and if, I can figure it out for sure. Still need more data for a proper standard that I can bass this all on. What's over there? A captain. And on a one square island. Ooooo! Big juicy target for archery practice - not that "I of all people" need any (big grin). I land on an adjoining island. Move into line of fire at range of nine. Let fly with blessed arrows. Captain just stands there and catches them all in her chest (laugh). Captain falls over. I float over to collect her loot. Lot's of loot. Amongst it all; a wand, and a silver saber. It will be added to my silver collection. Starting to get quite an assortment of silverware (laugh!)! Only thing that I'm skilled in is the dagger, concerning all the silver weapons I have. All the other silver things could maybe be melted down. Make some candelabras perhaps? They would go well on the altar to Mars... Part 28: Behold The Black Battle-Blade! --------------------------------------- Dungeon Level 24. Base camp. "You hear the footsteps of a gaurd on patrol." Hmmm... Patroling what? I dump the bag of holding on the altar to Mars. Then I make a survey around the level with the Longbow of Diana - again. I'm doing this often on this level. Many strange things, and sounds, have happened here. And still are! One day: I'll dig out the whole level. But first, I have to figure out how the monster generator functions in that room with the unknown shattered statue... Nothing turned up. Coulden't detect the gaurd. Back to the altar. Testing for cursedness on some interesting weapons; throwing spears, elven broadswords, elven shortswords, throwing stars, the silver saber, the long sword from the nazgul, some flails, etc. There's an ogre lord hanging out with me. He's peaceful, of course. The latest denizen that wants to hang around the ex-temple to Mars nightclub (it was a real happening place a while back - see various later parts to book 1). I pick up each weapon and hold it aloft, towards the ceiling to the light (I've cast it twice in here from scrolls earlier - Part 25, perhaps?), checking for any defects in the workmanship and so on. The ogre lord either; grunts approval or grunts disapproval, along each one examined with me. Then a tengu materialises in that room with the hidden monster generator. I gaze upon it, in the distance, through the open doorway. Yep. Looks like an offering to Mars is in the making pretty soon (grin). I pick up the throwing spears and stars from the altar. I got a feeling that I'm going to get some practice in... Sure enough, sooner than later, it moves / teleports over to me. I try some throwing stars. Don't get to try this weapon type too often. Ony the second or third time in 120 characters actually. Once I'm out of them. I switch to the throwing spears. First one kills it. It left a corpse. But I got a little mixed up, and over-enthusiastic, and threw an extra one. It hit the ogre lord. Oups. The ogre lord got mad. He picked up the throwing spear and chucked it back at me. Oh yeah? I threw it back at him. Then I threw another one. He threw it back at me again. Ha ha! This is fun. The ogre lord can't hit the blind side of a barn. We continue this till the ogre lord keeled over - on top of the altar to Mars. Good. I won't have to carry him there. Picked up the tengu and offered it to Mars. Consumed in a burst of flame. Okay. The ogre lords' turn. I offered it next... Your sacrifice is consumed in a burst of flame! An object appears at your feet! The voice of Mars booms out: "Use my gift wisely!" Oh Boy! Another gift from Mars! In great excitement; I do the look here (":"). There is an altar to Mars (chaotic) here. You see here a runed broadsword named "Stormbringer". WOW! Mars gave me "Stormbringer"! Another broadsword. A runed one too. Don't see these too often. I pick it up and drop it on the altar. Pick it up once more. Exchange. Wield it. Adjust its letter to "S". Now I look at it in the inventory... An uncursed runed broadsword named "Stormbringer". Ooooooo... That has a real ominous ring to it. I like it (sinister grin). I've had it in prior games. Even though I've tried all of this many, many, many times in other games... I try to; invoke, apply, and all other different commands with it (laugh!). Same result as all the times before - nothin' (shrug). Oh! Oh! Let's do the 'cyclopedia thing ("/")... "There were sounds in the distance, incongruent with the sounds of even this nameless, timeless sea: thin sounds, agonized and terrible, for all that they remained remote - yet the ship followed them, as if drawn by them; they grew louder - pain and despair were there, but terror was predominant. Elric had heard such sounds echoing from his cousin Yyrkoon's sardonically named 'Pleasure Chambers' in the days before he had fled the responsibilities of ruling all that remained of the old Melnibonean Empire. These were the voices of men whose very souls were under siege; men to whom death meant not mere extinction, but a continuation of existence, forever in thrall to some cruel and supernatural master. He had heard men cry so when his salvation and his nemesis, his great black battle-blade Stormbringer, drank their souls." [ The Lands Beyond the World, by Michael Moorcock ] Mmm... Hmm... (rub chin) I've heard of that name, Elric, somewhere before... Can't put a finger on it though... Perhaps if I let it mull over in the back of my mind, it'll come to me, somehow. I like the way this Michael Moorcock uses punctuation in his story telling. Gives it a real "outlandish" feel to it. So then. This "Stormbringer is a real bad / evil artifact, eh? I like that. Fits in well with Mars being the chaotic 'God of War' and all... Allright. I can dig this. Thanks Mars (big smile + thumbs up!)! I'll put it to good use. You know you can count on me (big wide grin)! Now I need a test subject... "You see a door open." Right on cue: Here comes a quantum mechanic. Ha ha! What a befiting monster to pop by at a time like this. The scientist is about to become a lab rat for an experiment (laugh!)! Is it not just amazing how certain things just seem to turn out in Nethack, eh!? That reminds me... I ran across some engraving in the dirt, earlier this game, somewhere after the Ghost Level. It said something like: "You should really learn about quantum mechanics." Well. I dunno about that. But I'll tell you something now: A certain quantum mechanic is sure gonna learn something from me - how it feels to have your soul sucked away! I yell out: Quantify this egghead! "The black blade draws the life from the quantum mechanic!" "The black blade draws the life from the quantum mechanic!" "The quantum mechanic strikes at your displaced image." "The black blade draws the life from the quantun mechanic!" "The quantum mechanic is killed." Boy... Do I ever like seeing a group of messages like that (HAR HAR!)! I like this thing (muffled snicker). I'll keep it wielded whenever possible. Maybe it has monster detection ability. From it's description in the 'cyclopedia; looks like it's good at detecting stuff that's ghostly / haunted / anguished. Okay then. Back to verifying this booty... One thing that helps with doing massive amounts of booty verifying is; "SHIFT + D" and then "X". Sure speeds things up. Wish there was a faster, dare I say better way, for doing the #loot commands when going in and out of my chest all the time though. Also for trying on all the armor. Takes a long time to take off, then wear, then take off, then wear, etc. Always have to do "SHIFT + *" too. Long time required going through all the motions... Throwing stars get mulched (sad face). Throwing spears don't. Too bad about them shuriken (identified throwing stars). They are very rare weapons. Maybe if I could get them blessed. Have to add them to the 'things to be blessed list'. Although, to tell the truth, I doubt they will. That list is getting to be quite long... (concern). "You hear a slow drip." That means there's a sink on this level. I'm getting better at the recognition of random dungeon sounds, eh? Remember how I was before breaching the Ghost Level...? Ha! "You hear someone counting money." Okay. Now that one has me perplexed. I've heard it here before (Think I mentioned it in a previous part in book 2 already.). I better take a meander around the dungeon level with real time monster detection ability - yet again. While the sound is still fresh. Before this person that's counting money disappears on me... (grumble, mumble) I just went around all the edges of the rooms and the corridors again. Nothing. Back to the altar... "You feel you are being watched." That's the ghosts that are afraid to enter the light in the ex-temple to Mars. Ignore it and get back to work sorting this booty... "You hear the footsteps of a gaurd on patrol." (sigh). Okay. Let's get this figured out once and for all. I grab a wand of digging. I'd do it with the pick-axe, but I'm feeling to "royal" for hard physical work right now. Mars just gave me a super weapon. Not a digging implement. Plus I'm in a hurry. Wanna get to the bottom of this - like now! I look at the map and count how far from the edge, all around, that all my access points are to it, from what has been revealed through my explorations, thus far, in number of sqaures (Long sentence, I know. But read it again in your mind. It works - wink!). That done, and figured, I then go search for secret doors along the walls of every likely spot per room. Search 12 times each spot (2x die 6 from the game that Nethack is not - being my reasoning.). As suspected: Nothing revealed. Fine. I'm not finished yet... Then go to three different points on the level. Again figured from the initial long sentence in the previous paragraph. Point wand. Zap. Ten to sixteen square deep corridors are now dug where I want. Now the Longbow of Diana can reach the entire level. Yes the whole map is within it's range of; monster with brains detection. Now then... Where are you mister money counter and/or gaurd on patrol? I do a sweep... Aha! I've discovered a lich! It's in the bottom left corner of the map. It has a jaguar and a centipede with it. They can't move too much. Looks like a 2x2 square room. I go to a perpendicular angle from the room in the corridor I'm in. Count the range. It is 8 for a straight dig with the wand. I wait for the lich to be just 'off-square' before zapping the wand. Zap! Pathway is now open to the money counting lich room. Exchange. Quiver blessed arrows. Wait. Lich steps sideways. Fire! Fire! Lich is doing nothing (?). No; monster summoning, or making aware of my presence. It's too far too disintegrate my stuff. (he he) Coulden't have happened to a nicer lich (grin). No pity! Fire! Fire! Lich is destroyed. Jaguar coming next... Exchange. I want to read more messages about "the black blade drawing the life from something" (grin). I like reading that (grin and, grin again). I step towards it in order to hasten up on the killing range. Two messages about drawing the life from it. Jaguar is killed. I put it (the corpse) in the bag of holding. Next is the centipede, which is trying to surprise me by hiding under some booty in the room. (he he) That trick has ceased to work on me since I acquired the Longbow of Diana... Centipede never knew what hit it (Yes, only one hit from the great black life sucking battle-blade was required.). I do a few quick searches, in case there's any traps. I pick up everything in the room and stuff it into the bag. I'll be back here in a few minutes to do a secret door search. First, I'll go offer these corpses to Mars... Okay. I'm back in this little room. But something kind of strange happened back at the altar. I got a hopeful feeling for some reason or other... (scratch head). I remember something like that when I played one of my Preistesses... When I was experimenting with temples, altars, and praying, and what not. Thought I was okay with Mars this game. Thought I had things figured out since the begining (?). Hmmm... I'll offer more stuff to him when I get a chance. But for now; let's give this room a thorough search for secret doors... Nothing. How did the lich and company get in here? Was it him counting the money? He sure had a lot. There was 6,926 zorkminds in this room! That's a lot! I've killed a few dragons and they didn't even have 2 cents! Strange... Very strange... Found a spellbook and a pair of lenses in here too. Both uncursed. Wonder if he was doing any accounting...? Maybe it's like in the story from Dickens - A Christmas Carol. The lich is Ebenezer Scrooge. Counting the money. And the ghosts that are now roaming the level here, are from the story also? (shrug) Seems to make a lot of sense to me (little snicker!). Ho well... Let's get back to work at the cache. I'll load up with some intriguing stuff and go get it appraised at the general store on level 21, in the Mazes of Menace. Climb up the stairs to level 23. Oh yeah. It's full of dark rooms on all these levels. I forgot about that - but remember it now. Better light the lantern... Heah! Where's my brass lantern? Try to remeber if I deposited it anywhere. When I was verifying booty below...? Perhaps... Go back down to the cache. Rummage around. It's not here. And why would I have stowed it any ways? I keep certain things on me at all times. This being one of them. My mind narrows to the last time I remember having it. It was after I got teleportated on level 29, in the Valley of the Dead. Okay... One of the liches from the Valley of the Dead must have disintegrated it during my desperate dash to the stairs. How nice - not (Grrrr)! All I have left is a cursed one in the chest here. And come to think of it... My wand of teleportation didn't work on me when I was there. So how come a teleportation trap did? If that level is the same as the boulders level...? I'm going to have to go and test a few things out at the boulders concerning teleportation. I make a mental note of this for the time being. Okay. I'll just try and be careful not to walk into anything with no discernable brain activity in the dark. My boots of speed should help out here. Avoiding simultaneous movement by me and a monster into the same square, in the dark. Made two trips to the general store. Both for weapon and some armor appraisals. The shopkeeper's name is "Chibougamau". I like that name. It's the same as a town in the province I live in real life. I'll make an effort not to kill him (wink). Oh yeah. There's a small mimic here. I'll kill it. If it leaves a corpse, I'll eat it. I'm testing eating different corpses lately. Mimic looks like a giant marshmallow. Not revolting to my senses. Mimic killed. No corpse. Oh well. For the armor, I have two funny things; A robe and a cursed tattered cape. Both are worth 25 zorkminds. The robe doesen't seem to do anything, and I don't dare try on the cape. Need scrolls of identify... The weapons were very revealing. I had whole bunches appraised. I'll give you a list of the interesting ones and their prices... blessed arrow = 1 blessed rusty arrow = 1 blessed very corroded arrow = 1 blessed rusty very corroded arrow = 1 blessed rusty totally corroded arrow = 1 throwing star = 2 forked pole-arm = 2 beaked polearm = 4 elven broadsword = 10 blessed hilted polearm = 13 blessed long sword named nazgul = 17 silver spear = 20 silver dagger = 20 BDDD = 32 silver saber = 37 Dragonbane = 62 Sting = 75 Orcrist = 250 Longbow of Diana = 500 Stormbringer = 1,000 Remember. These are merchant buying prices. For the cost of me to buy; you have to multiply by two. Merchants buy for half price, then sell for double. No way to make any profits, by buying and selling yourself, in this game. As you can see, certain things came to light... - Arrows, no matter how dammaged, retain the same price. I carry those arrows for ochre jellies and such - as you have surely guessed (laugh!). - Well. That idea about blessing the forked pole-arm is now firmly driven out of my head, for now. I had two forked pole-arms appraised here, by the way. They are my favorite pole weapons. Reasons have been given earlier. Don't want (actually, feel like) to check in which chapter it was. I also see I've been spelling pole-arm incorrectly in my story (laugh!). I'll try and use 'polearm' from now on (roll eyes). - I'll use this hilted polearm as my pole weapon of choice, or at least till I get the forked one blessed. The hilted one is pretty expensive. More so then an angled poleaxe even. Fine by me. The hilted polearm is a "ransceur" and/or a "ronca", I believe. It accords the same disarming properties as a spetum (forked polearm) in the game that Nethack is not. Too bad the forked ones aren't enchanted. They cause more dammage in the game that Nethack is not. Just like the guidebook to Nethack says in section 7.2. - That nazgul carried a nice long sword. - Looks like my silver dagger is just as good as that spear. Have to add that to the 'things to be blessed list'. - That price for a BDDD is very misleading. I would pay ten times double that price for each one. Or kill the shopkeeper if I coulden't afford it (evil grin). - I'm quite impressed with the price that "Sting" commands. More than "Dragonbane" even. Hmmm... - The Longbow of Diana is worth twenty times more than that - at the very least! And surely, being twice as expensive as "Orcrist", is terribly missrepresentative. - "Stormbringer" has an impressive price. But if I were to lose it, I woulden't be that bad off. The Longbow of Diana, on the other hand, is virtually priceless! Okay. Pick up the stuff and go back to base camp, on dungeon level 24. Lock the door on the way back out of Chibougamau's general store. Have to protect him. Wandering monsters are getting tougher now, compared to what they were in book one. Wonder why? I only went up one expereince level since then...? So that's not causing it. Must be because I've tripped a switch in the game somewhere. Have opened a gate to a tougher class of randomly generated monsters. But what, where, and how? Killing the titan on level 27? Clearing the fortress on level 28? Entering the Valley of the Dead on level 29? I'll have to keep my eyes open. Have to see if I can pick up the next time I trip such a switch... Let's get on our way. Have lots and lots of stuff to have appraised, still... Down the stairs... "It explodes!" "You can't see." "You are blinded." (laugh!) That's really 'relative'. In fact, I can see all the monsters on the whole level! Forgot about that. I somehow have acquired real time monster detection, at unlimited range, while blinded. Noticed that back at the Valley of the Dead. Hmmm... I have an idea. Aplly unicorn horn. I can see again. Put on blindfold. Yep. That works too. Vision is by "telepathy'. Same thing as what the Longbow of Diana accords me. Okay. Handy to know. I'm sure I'll put this to good use, now that I know I have it, and can control it (wink + laugh). Discovered a jabberwock on level 23. It is not moving at all. Just stays in a corner to a darkened room. Good. I make a note of it's location. I'll run a few tests with this type of monster later on... Back at base camp level 24. Approaching the ex-temple to Mars... "You hear someone searching." Oh yeah...? What is this? This level is rife with strange happenings. (grumble) Things were a lot more stable when Jubilex was hanging out here. Let me tell you (hrumph). Okay. Where? Who is it this time? I put on the blindfold to see... An angel! It's in the room with the upstairs. I just came from there a few steps / moves ago. It must have materialised and the game has warned me upon it's arrival. This may be a major discovery. I might be on the threshold of figuring out certain random sounds... I check what it's about in the encyclopedia... ("/"): "He answered and said unto them, he that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the weeds are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. [...] So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." [ The Gospel According to Matthew, 13:37-42, 49-50 ] Oh yeah... So this angel has come to put me in my place, eh..? How so very presumptous of this angel! The gall it has! My eyes narrow in anger as I gaze upon it's picture on the screen. We'll just see who puts who where. I start stalking this angel... I'm coming down and expose myself from around a corner. The angel is in the doorway, at the end of the hall. It's radiant halo filling the entrance with it's light. Range to my target is eight... I draw back on the Longbow of Diana. Blessed rusty thoroughly corroded arrows in my quiver. These will burn more than regular arrows. I want it to feel the corseness and scraping when they pierce it's skin. I shall inflict hideous wounds upon this being of light... Fire. Three arrows find their mark. The angel steps forward. Fire. Two more arrows hit home. The angel closes the distance again. Ha! Too easy, I muse to myself. Switch the quiver to blessed rusty corroded arrows. Fire. And two more arrows launch from the bow to find their target. The angel steps forward and shoots magic missiles! My eyes widen in surprise. Thought these guys carried harps. Not wands. The missiles wizzed by me, any ways. Angels can't shoot straight, or the rust and corrosion from my arrows is causing it pain. Yes. That must be it. My lips curl in satisfaction... I let fly another volley. I hit, of course, I never miss. Still this angel wants to close with me. It does so and shoots more magic missiles. Ka-zot! The projectiles have bounced off the Longbow of Diana and reflected back upon the angel. It absorbed it's own attack! He he. I'm enjoying this. Hope Mars is getting a good laugh from all of this too. Let the angel taste more rust and corrosion... I'm just about to quiver another set of rusted arrows when the angel draws a long sword. I hesitate at shooting it again. So then... Mano on mano, eh...? Fine. I'll put on a real show for Mars. Hope Mercury is watching too... I sling the Longbow of Diana accross my shoulder. My right hand reaches for "Stormbringer". Okay Mars. Just you watch how wisely I'm going to use your gift. My hand clasps the hilt firmly: Exchange! The angel draws closer - as do I. We both step to adjoining squares in the same move. Now we square off at melee range. Gazing into each others eyes. The angel, looking oh so divine, with my rusty corroded arrows sticking out of it's chest, seems unsure of itself. Out of utter contempt, I give it a chance at striking me first... The angels long sword strikes downwards, just off to my right. It has struck at one of my displaced images. The angel has missed his mark. Now my turn... The great black battle-blade, Stormbringer, digs deep into the mid section of the being of light. A muted gasp screams throughout the dungeon. Then it, is no more... Darn. It left no corpse. Mars would have been very happy to get his hands on this angel, I'm sure. Would have made a good victim for his chamber of torture in the sky... Hokay (yawn). Where was I? Oh yeah. Back to figuring out stuff at the cache... Part 29: A Plain Spellbook? --------------------------- Back in the altar room, I'm rooting through my chest. Gonna start to figure out which of all these pile of arrows, daggers, knives, etc, are enchanted at Chibougamau's shop. I have like 36 different piles of these things. Only two small stacks are runed arrows though (sad face). Wish I were able to make some out of tree branches, or wooden staves that are left on the ground when I kill a wood golem... Soldier ant horde has just been detected. They're ammassing just outside the room. I go and open the door, then start walking back towards the altar. Want them to be able to swarm me in here. I'll offer whichever ones leave a corpse to Mars... Two of them did. I offered them. Got this hopeful feeling as a message again (?). I'm concerned. Something's not right. I have to see if I can figure out something here... I put on the blindfold. Need another monster to kill and offer... Something that demands a little more heroism of me... Nothing is here except for a peaceful Grey-elf. Way over in the room with the downstairs. Hmmm... Naaaw. I'll keep him around for now. Maybe there's something else on another level... I wonder if I can lift that jabberwock on the level above? Let's go see. Up the stairs. Put on blindfold. Oh good. There's a cockatrice not too far away. Goodie, goodie, gumdrops! That will do for now - I'm sure! Remove blindfold. Check to make sure weapons and everything is properly all in their places. As you've noticed, the last little while, I'm in the midst of booty identification, classification, and stashing. Not in battle / explore mode. So this is a good time for an inadvertant accident to happen. Can never be too sure of everything when in the Mazes of Menace (!!). Okay. I'm all set. Stalk my prey... Here chicky chicky chicky... Have a need for you... It has noticed me and is now angling to my location. Fine. I'll lead it to the downstairs. Wait for it there. I count the ticks, and compare it's movements vis-a-vis the clock. Range three. I move towards it. Wait two moves. It steps forward... "The black blade draws the life from the cockatrice!" "The black blade draws the life from the cockatrice!" "You kill the cockatrice." Boy. Do I ever looove reading what this "Stormbringer" does when it hits (wink). It left a corpse. Great! Grab it. Stuff it in the bag. Scurrie off to the altar of Mars on the level below. Once there I offer it. I got a feeling of reconciliation...? Something is wrong. I haven't gotten anything like that the whole game. Ponder... Can't think of it at this moment. Something from my previouse games...(?) I need to find my Elven Preistess notes. ** Rummage through my piles of papers on and around my desk. Can't find them. Look in the drawers of my desk. Look in the closet. Go look in the garage. Urghhh... Go for smoke + coffee + other smoke. ** Hmmm... Need to think this out... I start typing in different things with the "/" command: Gods, temple, pray, altar, reconciliation, sacrifice, corpse, blood, omen, and sign. This is for "altar"... Altars are of three types: 1. In Temples. These are for Sacrifices [...]. The stone top will have grooves for blood, and the whole will be covered with _dry brown stains of a troubling kind_ from former Sacrifices. [ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Diana Wynne Jones ] To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late; And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds For the ashes of his fathers And the temples of his gods? [ Lays of Ancient Rome, by Thomas B. Macaulay ] I should have been using this 'in game' encyclopedia a long time ago. I surely would have figured out many things sooner than where I'm at now. Probably could have saved many prior characters from dying needless deaths... (shake head) This is for "God"... Goddesses and Gods operate in ones, threesomes, or whole pantheons of nine or more (see Religion). Most of them claim to have made the world, and this is indeed a likely claim in the case of threesomes or pantheons: Fantasyland does have the air of having been made by a committee. But all Goddesses and Gods, whether they say they made the world or not, have very detailed short-term plans for it which they are determined to carry out. Consequently they tend to push people into the required actions by the use of coincidence or Prophecy, or just by narrowing down your available choices of what to do next: if a deity is pushing you, things will go miserably badly until there is only one choice left to you. [ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Diana Wynne Jones ] "Religion" gives nothing. The game has no information on that. Not everything is totally accurate here. I looked up "reconciliation" in the dictionary: A coming together in love, freindship, and harmony. (scratch head). Well. Maybe Mars wants me to do something...? Is he forcing me in a certain direction / action...? Will things be miserable for me soon? Should I communicate with him? Did the recent killing of the angel send a signal or throw a switch within the game? On a whim, and with a "hopeful feeling", although I'm not currently in a time of great need, I prayed (#pray)... Got somekind of glow. I felt that Mars was well pleased. And an object appeared at my feet! A plain spellbook! Now I'm more confused than ever...? What does this mean? I'm not a wizard? Must be some kind of message he's giving me (?). I want to pray again. I want to communicate with him. I want him to explain some things. But I do know that he will not be happy with that. Doesen't like getting disturbed too often. This is really wierd though. Thought that prayer was just for emergencies. That's what I had thought I had 'finally' figured out from my past experiences with Nethack gods... Pick up spellbook. Drop on altar. It's blessed! Could he have read my mind? Is this a spellbook of identify...!? I'll put this perplexing riddle of these past sequences with praying / offering on the back burner in my mind. Let it simmer for a while... I have a new immediate mission. Have to get this book appraised. I go and root through the chest. I'll get the whole stack of spellbooks here appraised. Missile weapon appraisal will wait for another trip. I pull them all out. I have ten of them plus the one from Mars. Wow! They're so heavey that I'm encumbered. Put them all in the bag. Now let's run up and see Chibougamau... I droped all the spellbooks in the store. Chibougamau gave me a price on all of them, except for the plain spellbook I got from Mars!? He was uninterested! Can you imagin that!? Oooh... Chibougamau. You better hope Mars isin't watching. That might get him upset at you (!). Allright. Now I head back up to the ex-temple of Mars. As soon as I enter... "You feel like your being watched." Good. That's what I fully expect (wink). Okay... Let's curl up in a corner here. I pull out all the books that are 150 zorkminds or less. I've figured out the spellbook price - to - spell level ratio: You read a book that has been appraised, if you can memorise the runes, you then look at the spell you learnt in the spell screen ("Z"). After a few, you'll notice that each spell level is equivilant to 50 zorkminds - as a 'sell' price. It's double that for a 'buy' price. Only thing that is sometimes funny, is when you get a book priced at something like 113 zorkminds (like the red one I have here). Then you have to take a chance at it being a 2nd or 3rd level one. When playing safe, always assume it's the highest. The higher the spell level, the tougher it is to read. Play a few Wizards and carefully test all this. It really helps, trust me. Now, I'll start by all the cheapest one's first. If I can get them all memorised, I'll go to the second level one's. Then the third. I'll stop there, cause if I remeber correctly, "identify" is a third level spell. Here I go... Wizard lock, detect food, magic missile, haste self, detect unseen, and cure sickness. No headaches and no teleportating somewhere else! That went well (grin). No luck with a book of identify... (sad face). But wait! I have saved the best for last: The plain spellbook from Mars... It's blank! !?!?! (slap forehead) LAUGH! How could I be so naive? It's like the blank scrolls. I've had these in other games. I got so caught up in the fact that I got it from my god, that I completely forgot about this (chuckle). Ho Boy... How embarrassing (blush). Don't you get all discouraged. I can see you all rolling your eyes! This doesen't happen to me too (too) often. I'll get better. Have a little patience and confidence (wink). My character, Ellora, is just getting warmed up with the game again... (whistle)... Now then. Why would Mars give me a blank spellbook? So that I could fill it with what I want! Geeeze. What a thoughtful god he is. Hmmm... What happens exactly when you try to cast a spell with an "*" next to it again...? "Your knowledge of this spell is twisted." "It invokes nightmarish images in your mind." Confused + Stun (laugh!). Oh yeah. Now I remember. Apply unicorn horn. Them third level spells are tough. When I strip off all my armor, they're only at a 2% success rate (98% fail). So looks like it was a good thing I didn't wish for one a while ago. Good thing I put the speed boots and the bag of holding as higher priorities. I would not have been able to cast it any ways (sad face). Okay. Stowe all these heavy spellbooks away. Now pull out this virtual multitude of missile weapons. Put all in the bag. And off to see our freind Chibougamau... Missile weaponery appraisal turned out to be mostly uninterresting. A few daggers were going for about 6 to 7 zorkminds, but most were valued at 2. Back at base camp, I sorted them all out and chose two stacks to carry with me; one of 5 uncursed runed daggers and the second of 2 blessed slightly more expensive daggers. Now then, this will bolster my unmunchable missile aresenal. I sorely miss not having a stack of BDDD's at my disposal anymore... (very sad face). I hope that a few scrolls of enchant weapon will turn up. Blessed clear potions will be a greater challenge to come by. For this, I'm going to try some experiments with these fountains scattered throughout the Mazes of Menace. I think some might turn out to be magic fountains. Seemed to be what I remember in previous games... Okay. Next on my list of many things to do, is to go see what I have in various caches. I know that I have two other large ones; on dungeon level 4, and one back at Marsville. I make sure that I'm carrying just what is nesscessary, I don't want to be overly encumbered. Being encumbered will come soon enough, once I start hauling stuff back down to here. The only real superflous things I decide to bring along are the three other gifts I've recieved from Mars; "Sting", "Orcrist", and "Dragonbane." I'll test them out further at my leisure, and when opportunity presents itself... Now back up in the Mazes of Menace I go... Part 30: The Sanguinary Sanction... ----------------------------------- Some happy discoveries where found on the way. Remember some of my old "BDD's" (Not to be confused with the "BDDD".)? The ones that got corroded and rusted? I have relocated two of them (grin). I have also found a rusted corroded BDDD in a an old cache! This is wonderful. Although the wandering monsters are getting easier as I ascend the Mazes of Menace, it still makes me feel more confident to have this extra punch in my thrown weaponery arsenal. I stopped and verifyed the chest just inside the portal to the Home level. Still a ton of objects in there. There should also be many objects in the little room at the center of the steel tree maze. Forgot about the caches on this plane (I should maybe re-read Ellora's story myself - laugh!). But I did not feel like negotiating the maze at this time (it is a very annoying feature on Home level 1.). I'll give it all a big 'once over' on my way back down. Throughout this phase, I am mentally preparing myself to start re-mapping the Mazes of Menace once more. There are many caches that have been lost - from the incident with the mindflayer when I was a winged gargoyle. So I'll have to go through all the levels again... (mutter) But for now, I'm just kind of skimming by everything, while excercising my memory about the game, on my way back to the top of the dungeon. The cache, at base camp level 4, had many forgotten objects; scrolls, potions, wands, rings, spellbooks, a magic flute, and some nice projectiles. Amongst them, eleven silver arrows, six runed arrows, and twenty-two +2 runed arrows. I dare not try them. For they may get mulched when fired. These will also be added to the now long 'list of things to be blessed'. That list is way long, and getting longer... (concern). No blesed vials of clear potions have been located, nor re-located... (added concern). Not that I had thought they would be, or turn up... This (blessed clear potions) is turning out to be an extremely rare commodity. Since they're so rare, I find it diificult to comprehend why the guide suggests using them as projectiles against undead monsters...(?) I have been practicing with many different weapons on my way up through the levels. Many boxes are now available to be checked in the enhance screen. Nearly all in fact! My current two practice weapons are a morning star (I like the way they look. They're so cool.), and a sling. The sling is interesting, mainly due to the available ammunition. I have tried to fire many wierd things - including various potions (paralysis, et cetera) with the sling (laugh!)! But on the serious side... Rocks are not very good. They get mulched a whopping 65% of the time! And no: Rocks have not been added to my 'things to be blessed' list (wink). Plus they are quite heavy to be carrying around. The multitudes of gems, scattered in all my caches, are perplexing. Yellow, red, and green get mulched nearly 100% of the time. I'll stop using gems as ammunition now. I have found what they are for, through the guide; to be added to my score at the end of the game. The best, what seems to be working well, are five gray stones - they do not get mulched when fired. I'll keep climbing. There may be some additional caches in the above levels. May as well be thorough, while I'm at it. I have firmly decided not to attempt the Valley of the Dead again, untill I am certain that I'm ready and properly equiped - or as much as can be. You'll have to excuse me for a few minutes. I've made it all the way back up to dungeon level one. Put on the blindfold, and see a throng of Uruk-hai and a solitary goblin. Time to have a little fun... (grin) ** Many, many; moves, monsters, and experimentations later... ** Hmm... That was somewhat interesting. I've discovered a few things. I'd love to describe everything, but if I do, I'll never get the game finished. Writing about the adventure while playing is tough - for me any ways. I am now playing a little, then I save the game in an appropriate place. Here's what has transpired since then: - "Orcrist" does not automatically make orc-type monsters ("o") run away. Though I had previously concluded this (See Part 17.)! They now seem to run away only half the time. Must be dependant on wether they fail their saving throw versus fear or not. Though not terribly important, nor threatening to me at this point, it just goes to show that I'm not fully understanding everything as it develops in front of me. Best to keep this in mind... - "Sting", while wielded, gives 'warning vision' against; hill orcs, Uruk-hai, and goblins. When I do the look (";"), I get "warned against goblins", as an example. Now I'm starting to wonder if it's beacuse I'm an Elf that I get this, or if it is naturally occuring all the time? The ("/") command on "Sting" makes no mention of this (?). Instead it talks about spiders. I am still waiting for a spider to come along in order to test "Sting" on it... - "Stormbringer" does not always 'drain the life' from every creature! I think I see a pattern emerging here. But due to my experience on reporting things with "Orcrist", I'll hold off for now. Need more monsters for the great black battle-blade to taste... Although I have it nearly always in hand (wielded); it has not given me any monster detection abilities either. This is dissapointing from the description I recieved of it (sad face). - I have just been able to witness first hand, thus am now able to accurately report to you all, one of my favorite messages in Nethack: "Your sacrifice is consumed in a burst of flame!" "You sense a conflict between Mars and Mercury." "You feel the power of Mars increase." "The altar glows black." Yes. That is very satisfying. I'm doing better in this game than all my others concerning my interaction with the Gods (big smile). Mars now has four, out of the five, altars in the Mazes of Menace! - I've experimented with what the guide and the Oracle have mentioned about "Elbereth". Funny... Monsters that cannot read - nor have eyes; turn to flee. Those that are intelligent, can read, and/or have eyes; ignore the engraving. Much more work needs to be done here, but preliminary results are quite astounding (laugh!)! Okay, now I'll fully rediscover the lay out of this level (dungeon level 1), and then move back downwards in the Mazes of Menace... On level two, the one with the three stairs, there is a good area in a central room for ranged weapon combat. There, I made another major discovery about being a Ranger. Some rothes, ants, and a dwarf showed up... Arrows, fired with a bow; have a range of 13 squares! Daggers, including BDDD's, have a range of 12 squares! Wow -wee! My killing range is vastly increased from what I remember in book 1! Also; I, very often, fire four projectiles in a single salvo. Must be something to do with being a level 15 scout Ranger... I am now venturing back and forth from my cache in Marsville to base camp on level 4 in the Mazes of Menace. There were an additional 8 spellbooks there. I have also been doing some appraisals between the general store in Marsville and, the antique weapons shop on level 5 in the Mazes. Have been able to add some more neat weapons and armor to my arsenal. If only I could come accross some blessed clear potions... All the books accumulated from both of these caches have given me some extra spells in my repertoire. Unfortunately, none have been identify. Little matter though, I have at best a 2% success rate with 3rd level spells. I have an "*" next to the spell of light. But can't rediscover that book. It must be in another forgotten cache somewhere - I hate mindflayers... While in Marsville, I consider on where to relocalise the ice box. Won't need it here - like I never did. But since I now have a strength of 25, I can carry it and be only burdened. I load up the bag of holding and go test if I can still carry the ice box. Yes - I did try to fit it into the bag - didn't fit. Okay... Have to make some minor adjustements with the weight distribution... Put down ice box. Take some stuff out of the bag. Pick up ice box. Still too much. Redo this process. Okay. There. Now I have the proportions correct. I have to do this, cause I want to be able to descend the stairs, once I'm back in the Mazes of Menace, unburdened. You all remember how I feel about falling down stairs, now don't you! It's so unlady-like, as well as unElf-like! Now I can put the bag down, and descend stairs with the ice box unburdened. Drop the ice box. Go back up, and pick up the bag. Repeat till I have arrived at base camp level 4. Once arrived, I ponder wether I should keep descending the Mazes of Menace with the ice box. Should I bring it to level 16 with the Home portal? Or level 24 with the deep base camp? Maybe even to the Oracle level...? Hmmm... I'll hold off for now. Store all the extra food in here. I'm still shuttling stuff from the caverns. I'll decide on this later... Back in Marsville again. A real neat-o wandering monster has been generated - a panther! Ooooooh... I like panthers (in real life). They look so cool. So sinister. So slick. So stealthy. So swift. So smooth. I want it as a pet! I'll add it to my 'next pet I wanna have' list. Along with a gremlin. But till I get all the loot organised, and the trips settled, I'll lock her (Yes. She's a she.) in one of these old abondened shops here. Keep her safe from any accidents. (This turned out to be a good thing, excellent forethought on my part, as we shall eventually discover...) She's fast! Faster than Missy Prissy, my old pet cat, from what I remember of her. This is good. Burp the purple worm, as well as Grunt the gargoyle, were kinda slow. Now that I have speed boots, I'm even faster than what I was back then. She's also pretty vicious. Has three attacks per round of movement. Must be two claw and a bite attack. Wonder if she gets a rake with her hind paws - just like in the game that Nethack is not - if she connects with both front ones? I'll find out eventually, hopefully... Hmmm... Wonder if a horsie would be fun too? There's one prancing around on the level above. They seem pretty fast. Tough to keep alive with respect to the food resources though... Bah. I'll think of all this later... Back at base camp level 4, in the Mazes of Menace. I'm rooting through the chest when a troll (an ordinary one) materialises just two squares from me (!). Allright! A test subject (big grin). These guys regenerate continuosly. Lot's of stuff to try on this thing (laugh!). I turn my back to it, and eagerly start pulling out different things from the chest... I turn around and zap it with a couple of mystery wands. I know... Some of you had told me to try other stuff with wands. But I'll do that later. I have LOTS of things on my list of; 'things to do before I go back to the Valley of the Dead'. I'll get to 'wand identification by other means', at a latter time. For now, I'm taking "opportunty fire (zaps)" with them (wink + lots of laughs!). Any ways, no new discoveries with these wands were found... Next was to try this magic flute. I improvised and made beautiful music. The troll was not cultured enough to appreciate it, obviously. "The troll wields a forked polearm!" My eyes lit up! A forked polearm! My favorite polearm weapon! I want it! I pull out the blessed hilted polearm from the bag of holding. We'll have a polearm fighting contest. Let's see who fights with these things better... I thrust towards him. I hit him. He thrusts towards me. He missed. I thrust towards him. I hit him. I thrust towards him. I hit him. He thrusts towards me. He went for a displaced image. Hmmm... Obviously I'm better. Like I "really" was surprised at this - not. Okay then. I step forward. Now we're both inside each other's weapons effectiveness range. I look at him ("."). He looks at me. What are you going to do now, oh mister troll (#chat)? He looks at me all dumbfounded. (sigh) Your pretty stupid too, I see... I got tired of looking at his face. So I punched it ("w" then "-" then "7"). He fell flat on his back. Okay. I step forward and pick up his loot. Forget what else he had, but I got the forked polearm from him. Walked over to the altar and dropped it. It flashed amber (big thumbs up)! I'll have it appraised as soon as I'm finished with him... I walk over to my weapons pile. He raises from the dead. He's looking around. Wondering where his weapon went. I pick up a few cursed weapons and throw them at him. He fell down again. I wield the morning star and go to wait for him to get back up. He soon does and equips a cursed mace (laugh!). I bonk him on the head with my weapon a couple of times. I got the message saying I could check the box in the enhance screen. He falls back to the floor. I pick him up and throw him. He flew one square distance. I stepped forward and kicked him. Again, he travelled one square. I wielded the sling and waited. He never got back up. Hmmm... Guess I was too rough (shrug). I almost was going to eat his corpse. Just before tapping the command, I decided against it. I pulled out my tining kit and caned him instead. I'll save him for later - maybe. Depending on how gutsy I feel... Now then. I'll hop down to the antique weapons shop on the level below and see how much this blessed forked polearm is worth... Twelve zorkminds as a sell price! That's two and a half times the price of an angled poleaxe, the pole-weapon that does the most dammage, according to the AD&D Players Handbook! Wonderful! Now I'm really glad I didn't wish for a blessed clear potion a while ago. Not only is this forked polearm blessed - it is also enchanted (big huge grin)! What phenominal luck! I'm nearly ecstatic! I replaced the blessed enchanted hilted polearm, with the blessed enchanted forked polearm from the troll, as my pole weapon of choice. I'll try and get it identified later on... By the way. I had "Snickersnee" appraised at one point. It went for a paltry 150 zorkminds. Curious, I wielded it again. I then proceeded to butcher quite a few creatures with it. Did not discover anything out of the ordinary with it. I stowed it back in the chest at base camp. Somewhere, and somehow, along the way, I acquired a spellbook of detect monster. I mention it now, as I discovered that the detect monster spell, allows me to see monsters that have no brain waves. It also, allows me to see more monsters than when I'm blinded, or with the Longbow of Diana's telepathetic vision. This is handy. I now have many different kinds of monster detection vision types. This would come in handy soon. I would be using it to localise appropriate subjects. When I started doing much offering / sacrificing... The trips back and forth, in order to centralise all my booty, brings me along a well travelled route. This route contains three altars to Mars now, with the recent conversion of Mercury's altar on level 1 (big grin). Running from the Mazes of Menace to Marsville: Base camp level 4 - level 3 - level 2 - caverns level 3 - caverns level 4 - caverns level 5 - Marsville base camp caverns level 6. The stairs to the altar to Mars on level 1, is inbetween the other two stairs on level 2. The stairs in the caverns are very close to one another, except for the ones on caverns level 4. So, when I get a corpse, and it's not to heavy, I can usually get it to one of the three altars. Ever since I have recieved the perplexing messages from Mars with the plain spellbook incident (see part 29), I am now taking this opportuntity to run some "sacred experiments" with; altars, sacrificing, and praying. I am keeping notes on all of this, but keeping notes on everything I'm doing, is now slowing down the game very much. I have since stopped using MS notepad and now back to pen and paper. My cat, Mademoiselle, my slow typing skills, and unfamiliarity with how computers work, have made me reach the conclusion that this is all for the better... We'll save some time, and I'll just bring up some interesting messages I've encountered with this: - You begin praying to Mars. You are surrounded by a shimmering light. You finish your prayer. You feel that Mars is well-pleased. The voice of Mars booms out: "Thou hast pleased me with thy progress," "and thus I grant thee the gift of my protection!" "Use it wisely in my name!" - "You begin praying to Mars." "You are surrounded by a shimmering light." "You feel that Mars is well-pleased." "Your runed dagger named Sting softly glows with a light blue aura." - "You begin praying to Mars." "You are surrounded by a shimmering light." "You feel that Mars is well-pleased." "You are surrounded by a golden glow." - "You begin praying to Mars." "You are surrounded by a shimmering light." "You finish your prayer." "You feel that Mars is well-pleased." "(Various things in your invenory - but not in the bag of holding) glows amber." - "You begin praying to Mars." "You are surrounded by a shimmering light." "You finish your prayer." "You feel that Mars is well-pleased." "An object appears at your feet!" (A wrinkled spellbook, this particular time.) There were a few others, but these will do for now. I'll explain some things first. This is now my way of offering (sacrificing) and then communicating (reconciling) with Mars... #1. You have to go through some leperchaun requests - but not always. Offer a leperchaun if Mars sends a four leaf clover. If no leperchauns are availble, then try; nymphs, jackals, lizards, gnomes, ants (but not giant ones), acid blobs, and/or various jellies. Or whatever you feel is lucky, and/or you killed by lucky means. #2. I then offer corpses untill I start getting a "hopeful feeling." Any kind of corpse seems to work here. #3. Repeat untill; "You get a feeling of reconcilition." Again - any kind of corpse seems to work here. But the best are; gelatinus cubes, black puddings, yetis, jaguars, and owl bears (Owl bears are very good. Never fail at anything.). #4. Now Mars wants to communicate (come together in warmth, freindship, and love) to you. (Look up what reconciliation says in the dictionary. Like I did when I recieved the plain spellbook in part 29.) Now you pray. I have re-read the guide to Nethack. Yes! Yet again (laugh!)! I'm still looking for something to tie all of this god/sacrificing/praying stuff together. Though this hasen't become all clear to me; I have discovered another thing that had escaped me till now: The amulet of Yendor is to be found somewhere below level 20 of the dungeon. This is great! The valley of the Dead is on level 29. This is 50% farther than what the guide says. Izchak says that this is a gateway somewhere else. Must be to this Moloch's sanctuary that the Oracle talks about. So I'm very, very close. Probably only one level left to clear after finding the portal on level 29. That's why the wandering monsters around levels 27, 28 and 29 have greatly increased in strength. I bury the desire to go back there right away. I will finish my efforts at fortifying my character first. Best not to take any chances since I'm so close... Back to interacting with the gods... - Seems that communicating with them is no longer what I had thought: Only in times of great need. That's what the Oracle had said. Hmmm... Now I am begining to wonder if the Oracle is 100% accurate... (concern). - Do not disturb them (gods) through prayer until having done my 4 point methode above. I haven't angered Mars in this game - yet, nor at all. I have done that too much in prior ones. Even though, I may not have interaction with Mars (gods) all completely correct: Trust me on this one. - Gods will uncurse things if cursed. - Gods will fill your stomach when weak - not hungry. - Gods will give you spellbooks if your not in a time of great need. And, so far, they are blessed spellbooks. - Gods will improve your armor class (somehow), again when not in times of great need. - Gods will improve prior gifts by blessing them. Look at what Mars did to "Sting" in the above messages. Now for some exceptions... - At base camp, dungeon level 4: A different message while sacrificing a white unicorn: "You feel you are thoroughly on the right path." This was a surprise. I have always gotten something about "being appropriately chaotic". I was begining to think that I may have had done something wrong. But no. I had done exactly the same thing as all previous white unicorn sacrifices... Hmmm... Maybe this is even better than the other message. It sure sounds good. Allright. I'll keep things up, concerning my new current pattern... - At the new altar to Mars, dungeon level 1: I sacrificed a Grey-elf (Don't ask me how he got killed... It was an accident - I swear!)... The blood covers the altar! You have summoned Yeenoghu! You are terrified, and unable to move. Okay. Last time I got a demon lord (Jubilex) was when I sacrificed an elven king (another accident). So then... Mars likes elves, and sends me someone to talk to (laugh!)? Yeenoghu..., eh? I also remember this name, from the game that Nethack is not. This is the demon lord of gnolls. Since he's a demon, that means he's chaotic/evil. He's freindly. Well - he should be. I better check... Yep. Peaceful. Lucky for me that Nethack only considers the horizontal axis of alignments (roll eyes + laugh!) He carries a three-pronged flail. Said to be a very mean weapon. Hmmm... I can use flails... Naaaah. I'll let ol' Yeenoghu live for now. Don't figure he'd part with his weapon willingly. Besides: I kinda like chit-chating with demon lords! I'd better see what the game has to say about him. From the 'cyclopedia on Yeenoghu... Yeenoghu, the demon lord of gnolls, still exists although all his followers have been wiped off the face of the earth. He casts magic projectiles at those close to him, and a mere gaze into his piercing eyes may hopelessly confuse the battle-weary adventurer. Yepper... Looks like I can kick his big gnoll butt at my pleasure. Magic missiles and confusion don't scare me. Not as long as I have my current inventory as is! I no longer fear Nethack monsters as much. Don't confuse this with "not respecting" their capabilities at killing me. Just that they are no where near as terrifying as I had thought they were. Certainly not as scary as, the ones in the game that Nethack is not. Awwww... Poor Yeenoghu. There aren't any gnolls any more (Must have been genocided by a god you pissed off, eh?). No probs, Yeenoghu. Since you have no one else, you can be my buddie (smile)! I can handle it. I even once had Jubilex as my buddie. You'll be easy to handle, compared to what it was like with "Jubi-baby" (snicker). But I don't want to use that name. It's too hard to roll around with my elven tongue. Hmmm... I know! Your nick name will now be: "You-know-who". That sounds a lot better (and easier), considering you have no worshipers, and all..., no? Whadyasay? Chat with Yeenoghu. Yeenoghu grunts. Yea. Glad you approve. At least he's more comprehendable than what Jubilex was (wink). I brought over a couple of statues to the altar room. Makes the place look more appropriately chaotic like. Gives it the semblance of a shrine. I also brought a chest over and placed it next to the altar. Don't need it now, but it may serve some use in the future. And who is going to try and loot my chest with a demon lord around, eh?! Yeenoghu is also faster than what Jubilex was. He teleports more often. Gets in my face, and way, way too much. Blocks up the corridor(s) on me. Can't get corpses to the altar in time... Hmmm... I pulled out the pick-axe from the bag of holding. Dug out a two square wide corridor between the altar and the downstairs. That problem is now (mostly) solved. I went to base camp dungeon level 4. Picked up the figurines that I left there (see Part 8), and brought them back here, for Yeenoghu. Now he can play with them and pretend to be tormenting those creatures. Just like when modern humans play games with "Barbie" and/or "G.I. Joe" dolls. It will give him something to do while I'm away. I take care of my freinds (wink)... - At the altar in Marsville, caverns level 6: I sacrificed (in order); a leperchaun, two wolves, and an owl bear... You begin praying to Mars. You are surrounded by a shimmering light. You finish your prayer. You feel that Mars is well-pleased. The voice of Mars thunders: "thou art chosen to take lives for My Glory!" See what I mean, when I previously mentioned owl bears? They never miss. This was a momentous declaration! Mars has now given me "carte blanche" on killing anything. In fact, if I understand it correctly, it is an order - not a request! Simultaneously: "Stormbringer" has been blessed! Not only that, but it has been rust-proofed!? AND "Sting" has now been fire-proofed!? Hokay... This now invloves troubling decisions for me (sad face). Certain monsters / people I wish to keep around - at least for the time being - are now under the gun. The Oracle, Yeenoghu, Izchack, Chibougamau, and two other shopkeepers (general store in Marsville, and the antique weapons shop on level 5) are amongst these. I still feel that they are useful to me. They are still giving me hints to certain things, which means that retrieving the amulet for Mars, will be easier to do. Here now..., I'm not sure how to proceed with regards to this... What is this with blessing and rustproofing? Does Mars want "Stormbringer" to be my new weapon of choice? Is "Sting" now also included in this? Will it be my secondary weapon? Rustproof? That reminds me of something the Oracle has said... "If thou hast had trouble with rust on thine armor or weapons, thou shouldst know that thou canst prevent this by..." Mmm, hmm... Okay... That will be amongst something else to experiment with in the futur. I add this to my 'things to do before going to the Valley of the Dead' list. Fireproof? "Sting" is made of flammable materials? This is one weird artifact. Yes, I now consider it an artifact. Look under the 'artifacts' section of the discoveries menu. Though "Sting" is not there (cause of the mindflayer - obviously), all the rest of my weaponery gifts from Mars are there. Back to the omen... So then Mars wants "Stormbringer" to be good against anything!? Even rust monsters and ochre jellies? (shrug) Okay. I'd better test if he really wants me to offer him peaceful creatures. There is a bugbear, just 2 squares away from me. I was using him as a companion in the ex-temple to Venus here. Hey! Bugbear buddie! Come over here a minute, will ya? You have an eerie feeling... Your bloodthirsty blade attacks! The bugbear gets angry! The black blade draws the life from the bugbear! You kill the bugbear! Mmm... Interesting... I better go offer the corpse to Mars right away... Now then. Let me see about some of these peaceful gremlins that I left in charge here. Hi gremlin. Nice haircut you have there... Your bloodthirsty blade attacks! The gremlin gets angry! The black blade draws the life from the gremlin! You kill the gremlin! Hey gremlin. Want to see my new chaotic runed broadsword...? Your bloodthirsty blade attacks! The gremlin gets angry! The black blade draws the life from the gremlin! You kill the gremlin! Psssst! Gremlin dude. I have a message from Mars... Your bloodthirsty blade attacks! The gremlin gets angry! The black blade draws the life from the gremlin! You kill the gremlin! (scratch head...) Hmm... I can see a definite pattern emerging. Let me just check something else. I walk over to a peaceful ogre... Good day mister ogre. I have a question to ask you. Which way is it to...? Your bloodthirsty blade attacks! The ogre gets angry! The black blade draws the life from the ogre! The black blade draws the life from the ogre! You kill the ogre! Oh boy... No more warnings about wether I really want to attack peaceful monsters or not... Hmmm... Okay. Now I see how fortunate I was in having locked up the panther up earlier. I won't go to see her, just yet. In case Mars is watching. I still want her as a pet. She's black. Same color as his altars, after all. Maybe I can work out a deal with him. But before I do, I better kill a slew of things in the meantime. Best to keep the ball rolling. Don't want to dissapoint / upset him - just yet! Another fortuanate thing; I have done most of the weapon appraisals in the nearby shops. Now then, if I don't go near any of these guys, maybe Mars won't get upset if I don't kill them outright. The guy in the humongous potion shop on dungeon level two now has his days numbered, though (evil grin). I have plans for all them ptions... I ponder upon all that has happened lately... Mars has turned "Stormbringer" into a sanguinary blade! I was correct in my previous assumption. It has been ordained from Mars. I have been sanctioned to take lives for the glory of Mars! A new found drive wells up from within me! I am now surging with power! Basking in righteous energy: I thrust, then hold, the great black bloodthirsty battle-blade "Stormbringer" above my head! NEW MISSION: Death and destruction to all before me! Glory to Mars! Hmmm... Wonder if this takes precedence over retrieving the amulet of Yendor...? Part 31: My Ghost!? ------------------- I better start on the killing spree. Mustn't disappoint ol' Mars...! I put on the blindfold, then did my detect monsters spell. A few creatures made themselves known. I then proceeded in slaughtering them. All the ones that left a corpse were offered to Mars. Soon enough, I'm out of sacrificial corpses. Well the ones that I want to, any ways. I'm deliberately not going to the two remaining shopkeepers, and the panther, that are left in Marsville... Down to the next level in the caverns. Ugh... It has been forgotten. Damn you mindflayer! Repeat my different monster detection abilities. More have been revealed. Great! The slaughter continues. Corpses are added to the bag of holding. Then quickly brought up for more offerings. I have to wander around cautiously here. I have forgotten where all the traps are... Curses upon the mindflayer species! I also have no light source. My good brass lantern had been disintegrated last time I was in the Valley of the Dead... Curses upon the lich species! Search. Step. Search. Step. Search. Step. Search. Step. Search. Step. Search. Step. On and on. At least this time consuming process allows for wandering monster generation. More have materialized behind me. Go back and slaughter. Whether they be innocent (peaceful), or not. Mars must be satisfied! After a while; I'm now too far to get a corpse back to the altar on time. I have made engravings in the dirt on this level for two ranges; maximum range to offer while burdened, and maximum range to offer while not burdened. Fine then. I'll go to caverns level 5 and renew my efforts there... Then up to caverns level 4... Then to cavern levels 3 and 2... Now I'm back in the Mazes of Menace. The altar on dungeon level 1 is my new central sacrificing center... Once the supply of monsters is exhausted; I then do a run of the dungeon levels above. With base camp level 4 as my altar of choice... Once this has been done; I then work my way back towards the altar at Marsville... Now then. Something new (again) has cropped up: It seems to be that Mars demands many more sacrifices before he's ready to communicate with me again...? Or... Maybe I have approached this wrong...? Perhaps it is per sacrifice per altar!? Yes. That must be it. Now I keep notes on each individual altar... Many turns go by... Yep. Although not entirely sure, but... That altar in Marsville seems to demand the least amount of sacrifices until Mars is ready to communicate with me. I have an idea (grin)! I head back to base camp level 4. There I grab all the scrolls and wands of create monster that are in the chest. Scurry back to Marsville. Now a veritable orgy of; summoning - slaughtering - sacrificing ensues... (lots of laughs!). This has generated more booty as well. But I dare not go have it appraised at the general store. Not till I have talked with Mars again. Must get the message that he is well pleased first... Sadly, my wands and scrolls are now exhausted. But I have managed to communicate with Mars three more times! He is soooo happy with me. I have impressed him, time and time again, with my progress (big grin). I am quite satisfied serving Mars. Things have worked just so great between us! I go back and read the pact I made with him, when I started this game (see prologue book 1). He he. Seems like things have turned out very well... Some weird things happened during my sojourn here, though... Had 4 ghosts appear (!). That I can handle, except that one was Adri's ghost - again! Adri had already appeared, and been dispatched (see Part 25), back at base camp level 24... The other, most disturbing, apparition was of a ghost called: Ellora! !?!?! Took me quite a while to get over that, not that I'm totally over it, though. For the longest time, I tried to ignore it. Did not want to 'send on' my own spirit. I even LET IT TOUCH ME at one point!!!!!! Eventually, Ellora's ghost was just too annoying. Kept on getting in my way. So... Got my courage up, and destroyed it... ** Worried, that I may have done something to my character, I looked at all the screens. Looked at all of them real good. Everything seemed to be normal. Only thing that looks out of place, is on the 'base attributes' screen ("CTRL" + "x"). There, under "Deities", next to "Chaotic: Mars", are two letters in brackets: (s,c). Dunno if I somehow have affected things there with destroying my own ghost...? Besides that, the game plays like before - well, as far as I can tell... ** I'm just kind of hoping that the game had run out of names for ghosts. Lord. I know that there are over 20 waiting down below in the Valley of the Dead. Plus the about 10 I've surely killed so far. So the game probably has only 24 names in a data base somewhere. And is recycling old ones, and using some of my previous character names... I hope. As soon as I can find that spellbook of light again; I'm going to cast it here. That trick has worked on level 24 already. Okay Mars. Time to get back to my other mission - retrieving the amulet of Yendor. I still have a few things to do. I'll get back to killing in your name a little later on, okay? Must be okay. I have given him many creatures. I have also slaughtered / murdered many more than that. He's satisfied, I'm sure. I never got any follow-up messages from him saying that; I must stay on this killing spree in his name. I'll check up on him later. Any way... Back at the antique weapons shop, dungeon level 5. Yeah - I'm taking a chance that Mars will be pissed that I don't kill the shopkeeper outright. I was curious about what my two artifacts, "Sting" and "Stormbringer", were worth now. They have just been recently altered by Mars, after all. Well... Sting had increased in value! It was now worth 105 zorkminds, as a sell price. A 40% increase. I was impressed. Blessing, or cursing, has never affected prices. So this "fireproofing" sure has helped it out, I suppose... Curious. Although "Stormbringer" has been rust proofed and made bloodthirsty, it's price is still a stable 1,000 zorkminds. Again, this is a sell price. Maybe 1,000 zorkminds is a cap within the game. Come to think of it; I've never seen anything worth more... Back to booty hauling. I'm now bringing some armor back from the caverns. Mostly dwarven and elven mithril-coats. I have six eggs laid by me, down on level 24. I may outfit a personal guard from all of this, sometime in the future... Maybe, and somehow, bring them all with me to the Valley of the Dead. Although gargoyles don't attack too many things; it will make it harder for the creatures there to all swarm me at once. I had an inadvertent test concerning; missile firing range. I had taken off my gauntlets of power in order to cast a spell. When something that has the same picture as a wumpus showed up. Forget what it was, but it wasn't a wumpus. Any way, I didn't want to be disturbed during my spell casting attempts. Even though I have no armor on, it is still at 42% failure rate. Sometimes takes a few tries, you know (laugh!). So I fired off a volley of arrows. They fell short of their mark (!). They only traveled 9 squares. Oh! Okay. I get it now. Twenty-five strength adds to my firing / throwing distance, perhaps? I go to consult the guide... Yep. It's in there. Weapon throwing range, amongst other factors, is affected by current strength. Good thing to know. Boy... There sure are many things to be constantly aware of. Easy to miss, or not remember, something (wink). Finally. I'm finished with what I want to bring back to the Mazes of Menace from, the caverns and, Marsville. Now then... What should I concentrate on next? Ponder... Blessed clear potions. Those I really need... Okay. I have an idea that I've been mulling around in my head for a while... I rummage through the chest, and pull out all the uncursed potions that I really have little use for; sleeping, paralysis, hallucination, see invisible, something I called "Yuch!", something I called "no clue?", and something I called "feel good". Nine vials in total. I consult my notes. Closest fountain is on level 6 of the Mazes of Menace. Great. Not too far. Let's go check it out. Maybe it's magical. Down I go... Part 32: The Blessed Fountain of Cursing ---------------------------------------- After having descended the stairs from level five, I immediately scanned the room for any creature within my normal visual range. The room, proving to be empty, allowed me to immediately put on the blindfold. Ah-ha! Telepathy revealed that there was a small mimic and a raven lurking here. But neither were close to my position. Good. I had time to disrobe. Removing the blindfold, I then set to the task of removing some apparel. Blessed +2 Elven mithril-coat, blessed +2 crested helmet, blessed +1 large shield, and the gauntlets of power (fencing gloves), were now neatly stashed within my pack. The cloak of displacement and the speed boots, do not interfere with the art of spell casting. Now I attempted the divination spell of "detect monster"... I failed to cast it correctly. Swaying my head in mocked disbelief, I tried again... Success! My mind locked onto the two previous monsters, and one that had no mental energy waves - a gas spore. This floating ball was lurking in a long corridor. Directly onto, and eventual, path I wished to take. Whether it was left over since I first ventured here, oh so long ago now, or just wandering around, I knew not. Monster detection was a relatively new spell in my repertoire. I had not, as of yet, scanned all the levels with it. Fine. I'll be able to get to where I want, easily enough. None of these denizens posed any serious threat to me. Just have to be cautious - nothing more. I redressed. My latest prayers to Mars have begotten some of his protection; significantly improving my armor class. Once I have finished a few more tasks, I may very well renew my communications with him. I am curious by how much more protection he would be willing to bestow... I make my way towards the eastern most room on this level. Longbow of Diana is constantly talking to me, telling me of the movements of that raven. It is tracking me on a parallel path. Just south of my current one. It will surely be turning up, in order to intercept me. There is a junction just 60 paces ahead. I stop and wait a few moments. The raven flies on, then hooks north. Just as I had anticipated. I crouch on one knee and ready my weapon, the Longbow of Diana. Blessed arrows are quivered. I will wait for it here. At 30 paces from the junction. More than enough time, I shall have, in order to fall it. Suddenly the raven has turned the corner! It is bearing down towards me - no doubt it will be aiming for my eyes. Not a chance, I shall give it. Three arrows spring from my bow. The raven has fallen. Normally: I would still be honing my skills with the sling. Mars had recently revealed two of the gray stones to be luckstones. I have been trying these on various creatures. Besides never missing their mark; so far, no discernible effect has been revealed. Though, they are excellent for monsters which edged or pointed weapons have little power against. But I wish to get this mission over quickly. Practice will wait for when I have accomplished what I want from here. Now on towards my destination again... I pass the door to the room of the small mimic. It is masquerading as a vial filled with a pink fluid. I snicker at this attempted deception. So does the Longbow of Diana. We are both chattering on how this frail looking vial can contain the full form of a mimic (!). On a whim, I decide to test eating its corpse - should it leave enough of one. I keep on thinking that they must taste like unsweetened marshmallows. I exchange weapons between my hands. "Stormbringer" has now been drawn. The longbow of Diana has suddenly grown quite. No more chattering is forthcoming, from it, into my head. It knows, all too well, not to interfere with my concentration, when the dreaded black battle-blade has been drawn... I step up towards the vial. The small mimic is completely unawares. If the mimic had any idea what was about to beset it, surely it would be in full flight by now. I swing the sword. I sense life energy being drained from my target. The mimic immediately transforms. Too late, I am way too fast compared to it. Two more slashes and the mimic is no more. It never was able to react further. No corpse was left. At least nothing that proved to be anywhere near edible. I shrug my shoulders. Mimic tasting will have to wait for another time. Back to my task. Off to the nearby room to the east... I turn a corner. Stop. Plant. Fire off an arrow. I hear it thwack against the distant wall. Hmm... It has not yet had time to get this far. Fine then: I proceed and stop at the angle. Aim the bow along the new direction. Salvo fire. A thud! Followed by a distant muted explosion. Satisfied, I continue on. Picking up arrows along the way. A little while later, I enter a long rectangular room. There, against the southern wall, lays a fountain. Quickly I approach it. Don the blindfold momentarily. No monsters are detected. Good. I shall require a few moments... I toss two zorkminds into the fountain. I have heard of tales, describing "wishing wells", from the humans. The coins have had no result, save getting wet. If they (the human stories) are to be proven true - it will not be here. And not today... My experience in the swamps on a deep level below (see Part:10 Snow Boots), has given me an idea. Vials can be diluted when exposed to water. If I can only fill a few vials from an enchanted and/or blessed fountain... From my belt, I draw a cursed crude dagger. My lips curl, and I snicker. Orc weaponry has far more valuable uses, than their intended offensive ones. I gently lower the dagger to the waters surface. Hesitate for a moment to reconsider the potential danger. What could be the worst thing that can take offense to my intended action(s)? A water elemental. Nothing more fearsome comes to my mind. This will be completely fine by me. "Stormbringer" has just recently been rust proofed, granted by Mars. It will more than suffice against any watery creature that should spring forth from this fountains' depths. I shall exchange it to my weapon hand, in place of the Longbow of Diana. Don't want to lose any time wielding it properly, should such a monster spring up, whilst I'm down on one knee. Now, then. Let's perform a test. I dip the dagger into the water... It has become uncursed! The gods are smiling. Well. At least the god of luck is. This fountain contains blessed water! I pull the flasks from the bag of holding. It's magical properties reduce the weight of objects quite drastically. Combined with my gauntlets of power, massive amounts of booty can now be easily carried about. If all goes well, I shall return here in the future. With the bag bulging to its brim. Filled with many assorted vials, to be purified at this fountain. I know of no liquid more valuable than blessed water. I have to dip each flask several times. I want to ensure that the old liquid has been emptied. That it now contains only the water from the fountain. Cool tingling sensations from the pure water, adorns the process. Constant gazing at the fountains geysering streams, begins to mesmerize me. All my flasks have now been filled. But I do not wish to get back up. A feeling of loss has just come over me. Why? How? I do not understand the reasoning for such an emotion...? Can I have become disfavored in the eyes of the gods, somehow? If so. Then I must redeem myself. The blessed water from the fountain will, most certainly, alleviate this. Surely, it can not hurt to try... A desire to savor the water washes over me. I must taste the water. I need to know the sensation of being blessed from within. I lower my head to the radiant pool. My lips touch the surface and I draw a mouthful of water. I lift my head back up, to ease my swallowing the liquid. Closing my eyes, as it begins to descend my throat... Petoui! This water is no good! Simultaneously: My body slumps, as though from a heavy load. I feel encumbered. I am burdened!? Also; I am suddenly hungry. My stomach feels empty (?). I look down at my belt, to see what can have so suddenly increased in weight. The bag of holding has a black aura about it - it has become cursed! Quickly, I glance through my possessions for any other malignant auras. Several other items have also suddenly become cursed! My trusty BDDD's. The marvelous Longbow of Diana. The battle-blade "Stormbringer". My enchanted elven mithril-coat. The enchanted large shield. The indispensable ring of levitation. The volumous bag of holding. One of the luckstones for the sling. All have been cursed! Thank Mars, at least, the unicorn horn has not been affected. I have a spare, but it is in the bag. Along with many other valuable objects. I know not to dare in trying to retrieve anything from it, as is. Items will be obliterated, should I try. Dumbfounded, I'm trying to absorb this all in. Most items affected were blessed to begin with. These have gone to an outright cursed state! How can so much have been cursed all at once? And so quickly? I am aware of no liches!? No titans!? Not in the whereabouts. Even if they were to be invisible; I would have detected them. I am alone in this room with the fountain. Could it be the fountains' waters? But it is blessed water!? I had just verified it with the crude dagger...? I hear the echoes of a werewolf howling through the corridors. I let out a sigh. It will be heading for me soon, if it has not already. I have no desire for a fight. Not until I have redressed the cursed objects in my inventory. I must be off... My stomach growls, as I make my way back to the upstairs. Progress has been slowed. The bag of holding must be functioning in reverse. In fact, I know it is. It is weighing me down... A humanoid has appeared in the distance. I try to discern it's specific species telepathically. Yes. I have seen this creature before. It is a werewolf: In human form. It shall soon fall where it stands. Unthinkingly; I attempt to unsling the Longbow of Diana from my shoulders. I can not! The runed broadsword named "Stormbringer" is welded to my hand! Just as well. The bow is also cursed. I just remembered. It too would have welded itself to my hands. And besides, the large shield is welded to my left arm. I must get back to my base camp, two levels above this one. There I have some scrolls of curse removal. Much concern now plagues me though. I have lost the blessings on too many items. I feel quite disheartened... I try to slip past the werewolf. Thank Mars my speed boots are unaffected. Even though I am burdened from my load; I will scoot on by. But before being able to do so: I had to backtrack through a room. No way I was able to get by him in the narrow corridor. The cloak of displacement has saved me, yet again, from taking any hits. The lycanthrope has lashed at some of my displaced images. But. Before I could make a complete escape: He summoned some help! Four wolves, two winter wolves, and the werewolf now surround me! There is no escape! A wall to the room completes the encirclement. I have absolutely no desire to stand and fight. Even with all my items unscathed by the recent events, would I not wish to do so. I pull an aluminum wand from my pack. Point it towards my own chest: Zap! I have been instantaneously transported to another location within the dungeon level. Further from the upstairs from where I just was. But at the least: Now free to move about! I don the blindfold and mentally memorize an alternate route to the stairs. One that is, for the time being, devoid of any monsters. My speed boots will have to carry me swiftly. The werewolf and his cronies will soon be filling the passages. Also, my stomach keeps gnawing from within me... I have managed to get to the stairs. I have, also, eluded most of my pursuers. The winter wolves, in vain, tried to reach me with their frost breadths. But these were reflected from the amulet. The one around my neck. The one I retrieved back at the 'boulders'. Some of the reflected blasts had even managed to find a mark: On one, or two, of the wolves. I ascend up the stairs. I will not be pursued. However, I make a note that these creatures are now lurking here. Best to be forewarned. Someday; I shall have to come by this way, again... Now I hurry to the upstairs on this dungeon level. Much concern accompanies me. This mission has turned out - not very well. Not very well - at all... I have reached level four: One of my major base camps. I proceed to the altar of Mars. I must make certain of my entire inventory of possessions. Somehow, back at the fountain, I have been exposed to a cursing field. I drop all that I am able to, all that can be removed, all that can be taken off; from my body. Everything falls: Onto the black altar... Amber, black, and no - flashes spring from the various objects. Apart from what I had already found; both lizard corpses, two potions, a wand, the looking glass, and two black gems - have also been cursed! I had wanted to retrieve blessed water, to bless some of my items. Instead; I have managed to curse my items, most importantly, some of the essential ones... Sadly; I shake my head... Not only have I failed in my mission. But: The mission to the fountain has utterly; backfired... As much as; I presently wish to dwell upon the subject, hunger presses me to action. I step to the ice box. I need to satisfy my stomach. I will be able to think more clearly once my physical needs have been taken care of... Part 33: Starving & Ravenous ---------------------------- Oh! But what is this? How am I to open the cover to the ice box!? Both my hands have items welded to them. I cannot access, let alone reach the contents of, this container... (!) Although, I know that it will prove to be impossible, I attempt to access the nearby chest. It too cannot be utilized. The scrolls of "remove curse" are in there. And I cannot get at them... Hmmm... I can pray to Mars. He can remove the curses for me. I have satisfied him well, of late. However, I must first assure myself of his willingness to be immediately receptive to my needs. I need a sacrifice... I am hungry. I also need food... Telepathy shows only a gnewt. Quickly I journey to its location. It is killed with but one blow. It has left enough of a corpse. Not much of a sacrifice, but I am beginning to be quite anxious. I must know of the availability of Mars. I hasten back towards the altar. On the way; I have grown weak. My elven form needs food badly... I eat the gnewt. Little sustenance it offers. But enough to hold me for a little while longer. I no longer feel weak - but am still ravenously hungry... Up a level I go. An acid blob is nearby. I dare not risk my wielded - and welded - weapon. I instead slay it by throwing some of the gray stones at it. The corpse is not what I will eat. Too dangerous to harm me. But it will suffice as an offering to Mars. Quickly - I go down and sacrifice it to my god. I have fallen weak again... Mars has signaled me with a four leaf clover. No. Oh no. Oh no no no... He is not ready for me! Not for a long time will he be. Of this I now know. My hopes at removing the curse(s) are quickly dashed. It will take many offerings before any hope at reconciliation. I will starve before then! Food. I must find food. Food is in the ice box here. So close - yet beyond my reach! The two lizard corpses I had been carrying - are cursed (...!). They may work backwards. Increase my hunger. I have to search elsewhere - but in haste (!). If I grow weak enough: I shall be soon fainting! Back up the stairs. Put on the blindfold. Nothing. No monsters. No food. I hurry towards the upstairs. The blindfold is still covering my eyes. I have to know when a possible food source should wander in. Time is now critical (!). I have bumped into something! A creature with no real mind. How else would I not know about it? I remove the blindfold. A yellow mold blocks my path. Instinctively - I swing "Stormbringer". The mold's life comes to an incredibly swift end. I grab it as best I can - considering both my hands are already occupied with something. I know I will be poisoned by it's hallucinatory narcotics. But I need to eat now. I tear at it with my teeth, and swallow the mold. The weakness has gone. But I know, oh do I ever know, not for long. Must find more food. I apply the blessed unicorn horn to my forehead. And off to those stairs: Post haste - I go. I am on level two of the Mazes of Menace. I try to take off all the armor that I can - save for the speed boots. Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to get a spell of "detect food" or "detect monsters" off... I struggle. But in complete vain. Although my gauntlets of power are not cursed; "Stormbringer", now welded to my hand, prevents me from removing them. All hope is lost at spell casting attempts. This combined with the shield and elven mithril-coat has made it impossible. Failure is 100% certain... I am now in great danger. Ironically: Not by a creature from the Dungeons of Doom. Instead: I will starve to death. I fight an impulse to panic. If I do - and do not think clearly - I will die. My thoughts. They are in conflict. This is incredible! After all I have accomplished, encountered, and overcome - since I first set foot in the Mazes of Menace. Is this how I shall meet my fate?! My mind screams: NO! Not by determination. But - through utter disbelief! Only monsters detected here are the shopkeeper. He is very far though. At the western most edge of the level. Will I cover the distance in time? Will I be able to kill him in time? Will he leave a corpse? None of the others, that I have murdered, have... This I do now remember. Time is too critical. I cannot chance it. Even should I be recollecting wrongly. If he does not - I will be too far gone. Up the stairs to level one? Will Yeenoghu leave a corpse? Do I even dare eat it, if he does? Will I be capable of killing him? I must consider my state and equipment carefully here... No! I have suddenly remembered: Demons are dispatched back to their planes of existence from this one, when slain. He will not leave a corpse. Not here. To the stairs that lead to the caverns... A white unicorn is here. It is close! Please. Let it not teleport to a further location. I observe its movements. I must let it think that it has a chance against me. I let it approach, as well as, slowly approach it... The beast is now upon me. Swiftly, it strikes several times. The unicorn butts. The unicorn kicks. I absorb the blows, which have not gone to a displaced image, willingly. I merely stand my ground. I do not take any offensive action towards it. I am much closer to death through starvation, than by physical trauma. Good: Now; the unicorn has been lulled into believing it is advantaged. Now - I can fell this creature quickly: Salvo fire BDDD's! All three launched. In spite of their cursedness; their flight paths were true. The unicorns' eyes suddenly grow wide. It has just realized the imminent danger to it's life. As it prepares to flee... Now - I will strike to kill: The black blade, "Stormbringer", draws the life from the white unicorn! The white unicorn falls. I descend upon its still writhing form. I feed upon one of Mercury's creatures, before its heart has beat its last... That will hold me over for a little while. Not much, but enough to rekindle some hope within me, towards my situation. Up two flights of stairs. Level one: A lynx; cursed BDDD salvo, plus a swipe from "Stormbringer". More sustenance for me, from its corpse. But also - an abandoned food ration! I grab it and descend. I'm still in a struggle to find enough food in order to start working on removing these curses... The unicorn, lynx, and the food ration have allowed me some time to; find, kill, and offer three more sacrifices to Mars. The altar at base camp level four being the one I have concentrated on. A mountain nymph, yields a four leafed clover. A wood nymph, yields a four leafed clover. A leperchaun, yields a hopeful feeling. I have passed 'phase 2' of my method for praying to Mars. Alas, 'phase 3' will certainly require more sacrifices. Too many. More than I will be able to go, without more food... I am found on level three. I have just fallen weak again. I need food badly. Shan't be long, till I start fainting. I must make up my mind. Another terribly important decision, concerning my survival is to be made... If there is nothing on the level above. If I do not find an immediate food source. Then: I will turn around, and smash the ice box, with the welded runed broadsword, back at base camp level four. It will be close. Whether I will make it back in time. But I have just, yes just, exhausted all food sources on the levels below... I am in fear for my life. Have been for quite some time now. I don't think that I will be able to maintain this dance between; fainting (leading to death) and feeding myself. The monsters are just not wandering in (replenishing) quickly enough to sustain me. The attrition upon the Mazes' denizens is just too great! I am terribly scared. I feel the impending doom of my fate: Death by starvation... Up the stairs. Dungeon level two. Blindfold is covering my eyes. Telepathy reveals; the far away shopkeeper, a water nymph within the same shop, a cockatrice far to the north-east, AND THREE HILL GIANTS FROM 120 PACES DUE WEST! Enough to feed me. More than enough to feed me. As long as I don't faint... Immediately: I rush towards them. It is a mad headlong rush. I am nearly crazed with hunger. Besides; I have no time to wait. Suddenly: But 20 paces I have taken! A boulder, thrown by the first hill giant in line, has nearly crushed me. I had just managed to throw myself to the ground. In the space next to the wall, towards my right. The spherical shape of the boulder, could not fill this gap. As I lift myself unto my feet, I see that my way is now blocked. Pushing the boulder will be of little use. It's progress would be held, when I should reach the form of the giant. Damn. Now I have to wait for them to come at me. This will take longer... I fall back to the room. I place my back against the western wall. The entrance from the passageway, is just to my right. I hold the battle-blade "Stormbringer", cursed and welded to my right hand, onto my chest. The Longbow of Diana, informs me of the hill giants' approach... 30 paces... 20 paces... It has picked up its boulder again... 10 paces... It is now parallel to me (!): Filling the entranceway... The Longbow of Diana screams into my mind: NOW! In a flash: My arm sweeps out to the right! The runed broadsword being its extension. The added momentum from the sweeping arc; buries the black blade deep within the hill giants abdomen. Life is drained. The hill giant yells in pain. I draw the blade from the wound. Simultaneously; trying to twist it upon its pommel. I wish to expand the wound. The giant must go down - as quickly as possible. Again and again. I repeat the same motions. The hill giant has doubled over. Now fallen to it's knees. I can now reach the base of it's neck. The boulder has dropped and rolled a few paces. The hill giants' hands are trying to hold its innards, from spilling onto the floor. Now I have turned to face the giant: One-quarter turn, to my right. I sense death for my victim soon. I bring "Stormbringer" from above and slice downwards this time. Neatly cutting into the giants' vertebrae. It has fallen. I need to feed. But one of his friends is too close behind. I step to my left. 20 paces over. Now 10 paces down. Another boulder has come my way. But in the expanse of the room, I am able to judge its oncoming trajectory - thus easily avoiding it. It crashes to a stop, against the wall behind me. No time to lose. I may faint at any moment. Salvo throw BDDD's! They have just been recently cursed. Two have found their mark, one has slipped from my grasp and gone errant. Not waiting for any assessment to the giants' wounds; I charge it. "Stormbringer" flashes above my head. The blade glistens from new blood which now covering it, from the incessant, and successive, blows I land onto the giant. The second hill giant has fallen. I am just about to step forward; to feed - when the Longbow of Diana shouts a warning. The third, and last hill giant, has taken an alternate route. It has just appeared in the doorway to the north from where I am. I step up and towards it, then to my right. Dread wells up from within me. All this fighting is surely sapping my body's severely diminished reserves of energy. It is only through, the pulsing emotion of sheer savagery, that I have not yet fainted... If I should, I may be able to still salvage my life. Upon regaining consciousness, I may have time to feed. But not whilst this giant should be thumping on my body, whilst I be under... If I but had a wand of death: I would not hesitate for a moment - on using it on this giant. Alas; I do not. And my other wands of destruction are either in the chest, or the cursed bag of holding. In either case; both of these containers are back at base camp level four. Too far away now. I have utilized too much energy in this fight. My options are now down to but one: Kill the remaining hill giant, and feed - POST HASTE! The glare of swift death beams from my eyes. The giant has caught my gaze. It has stepped towards it's right - now caught in a corner. Abject fear has taken over its ability to make rational decisions, concerning its plight. I approach. "Stormbringer" drips with blood. I slash out, but in low cutting arcs. I have been possessed with an idea. I will try to cut the tendons within its legs. Three more slashes - totaling two per leg; both right, and left. Wretched lines have been drawn in the folds of skin upon the giants face. It has suddenly realized that: It can no longer uphold its weight and that of the boulder! He collapses under the combined mass. The boulder, he was holding aloft, finishing him off as it crushes his skull. I find myself in a crouching position. The best reflexive one, concerning my last tactic. Without even bothering to get back to my feet; I scurry on hands and knees, to the closest giant! Now I feed. I gorge myself. Like an elf gone mad, I just keep tearing away pieces of flesh and swallow them nearly whole... With blood and gore all over my visage, I get up and make my way to the second corpse. Although I am no longer weak - nor hungry for that matter (!); I dig into the cadaver of this other giant to feed once more! I will not go hungry - not for a long time - I need extra sustenance to carry me for a while! I stuff my stomach till satiated... Once finished, and after having taken time to clean my face; I gaze upon the last giants corpse - covered by, and beneath, the boulder. I can't get at it. Even if I had a pick-axe to smash the boulder to rock; I have no two free hands, which are required, for which to apply the tool... Well... I should have enough in me now. Enough for my next plan. Enough to give me time to implement it. I gather my cursed BDDD's and head to that humongous potion shop. Way, and over, to the west... I could care less for what the shopkeepers' name is. I have already slated him to be murdered. Firstly: For the glory of Mars. Secondly: For his remaining inventory. But as of right now; I have much more pressing concerns. I shall rediscover his name, but a few moments 'fore I have decided to end his life. Not now, though: But later... (!). Upon entering it (the potion shop), the shopkeeper gives me greeting. I ignore him completely. I don't even meet his eyes with mine. I do not even bother in closing the door. My eyes, and total concentration, are on the sleeping creature, in the far reaches of the room... 30 paces from the sleeping nymph, I stop. Quietly; do I drop all that, I am able to from what, I have been carrying on me. All that has fallen freely, 'cept for the blindfold - of which I don. No monsters in the immediate vicinity - but for "what is his face" the shopkeeper. Good. I will need some time. How much? I am uncertain myself. I have never attempted the following before... Cursed elven mithril-coat, cursed large shield, gauntlets of power, and cursed runed broadsword named "Stormbringer"; are my only current possessions on my body. I close the distance to the water nymph. Not wishing to startle her, I lean and whisper, as serenely as possible, into her ear... - Hi dear. Would you like to chat with me? Just for a while? The water nymph pretends to be friendly. - No pretense is necessary. I am open to your advances. The water nymph pretends to be friendly. - Yes. Yes. Although I am also female, I shall gladly swing with you. The water nymph pretends to be friendly. - Come on. Please. Get closer. I want you to touch me... The water nymph stole the cursed rustproof runed broadsword named "Stormbringer". Then immediately vanished into thin air! I let out a long sigh of relief... Finally... The nightmare is over. My hand is no longer welded to that cursed artifact. I can now access the ice box and/or chest at my base camp. I will not die by starvation. My stomach is currently full. I have ample time to find, or acquire, more food, by any which means. I can even remove the gauntlets now; should I wish to attempt a magical spell. Wearily, I step over and pick up my pile of objects. I don what I feel is appropriate for now - not wielding or wearing anything cursed - of course! I am completely exhausted. Since my jaunt to that blessed fountain of curses, I have had no rest. The stress and anxiety of nearly starving to death has sapped much of my reserves also... I need some rest. Just a little. Here: In the far corner of the shop. This will do. I lay my pack down against the wall. It will serve as a pillow. I curl up and wrap the cloak of displacement about my form. It will serve as a blanket. I'm exhausted. I close my eyes and immediately fall to sleep... Part 34: A Review ----------------- Okay. Time to fire up the game... Hello Ellora, the elven Ranger, welcome back to Nethack! You are lucky! Full moon tonight. Well. I can sure use some luck. And hmmm... The guide talks about luck in a few spots. Wonder if these newly discovered luckstones have anything to do with it? How about them leperchauns? And nymphs? And the wand of enlightenment has mentioned something with that too... Somewhere, if I remember correctly...? Yep. Gonna have to put that on the; 'list of things to watch out for'. (groan) I've got too many lists, with too many things on them (laugh!). But 'fore all that, or those, of entwhich these, er, beflore bly, be rujh, blah - urgh... I can't talk! (laugh!) I'm half thinking / writing like me. And the other half like, my character, Ellora. (chuckle some more) I'll take it a little easy. I'll write like me for now. If I can't understand what I'm reading... How are the rest of you going to be able to, eh? (wink) The last two adventures (parts 32 and 33), written from Ellora's perspective, were quite a learning experience. I almost got killed while trying to improve my characters possessions. That scared the heck outa me. Scared me real good. Am now going to give certain things - like fountains - a whole lot more consideration before toying around with them. Okay... Let's try and get the rest of these curses removed. Leave the shop. Sneer at the shopkeeper. Close the door. Head towards base camp level four... Oups! Where is that little darling water nymph? Put on blindfold. Okay. I see her. She's hanging out near the cockatrice. Good. I'll be back for her (and "Stormbringer") later. Now, I head towards base camp level four... I'm here. First things first. Loot the ice box. Allright! I can do it again. Pull out more food than what I really need. But heah - I'm a little paranoid now (laugh!). Eat a candy bar. I have never eaten one before. Was saving it in case I ascend. But since my last adventure, I want to try it now. Never know when death is just around the corner. May as well as enjoy / experience things while I can. While I'm alive... Okay... Now I will eat a banana and an apple. After all the meat I ate recently, I had better "balance" my diet... Now... I better find me some sacrificial corpses till Mars want's to talk. Then I'm gonna see how he feels about uncursing my stuff... Okay. That worked - kind of. He (big guy Mars) uncursed the stuff that was welded to me. All the rest is still cursed. Hmm... Kind of disapointing. Was hoping for a little more. Oh well. I better be thankful for what I got... I exchanged (the now) uncursed +1 large shield, for another blessed one I had. Good thing I've adopted that "clean dungeon" attitude since the beginning of the game. That combined with centralizing most of the booty here, sure makes times like these easier. I'll see if he (ol' Mars) may reconsider and help me out some more in the future. Meantime, I need more corpses. While I'm at it, may as well go upstairs and get back the cursed life sucking blade. Wandering monsters around here have become scarce... Was a little cautious around the water nymph. She was trying to run from me. But I got her lined up, and a few cursed BDDD's knocked her down. I looked at all the messages. Never saw one which said she was wielding it, or that it got welded to her hand. The cockatrice went down with my new melee weapon - a blessed morning star. Best weapon I had available that's one handed. Couldn't get the corpses to an altar in time. No bag of holding limits my 'range to altar'... I need to get that bag and all my weapons uncursed. I feel kind of vulnerable without them. Especially if I should run into anything dangerous. Lucky I'm hanging around the upper levels. Can you imagin' what it would be like if I were around levels 27 - 29!? Things would surely be more tense than now (roll eyes). Back at base camp dungeon level 4: What's this...? A red devil? I had better do the old look (";")... An incubus! Those are demons. But the picture looks like a devil. Kind of misleading, to me any way. Betcha he wants to do me (wink). I hate that. These guys are so full of themselves. Besides; I have a headache in real life - no joke. How I feel: Is how my character feels. Now is not the time. Let's see if I can avoid him... Geeeze... He's coming straight for me. Hmmm... I have an idea... Round 1: You have a little trouble lifting i - a beartrap. Your movements are slowed slightly because of your load. The incubus smiles seductively at your displaced image... The incubus strikes at your displaced image and misses you! The incubus strikes at your displaced image and misses you! Round 2: I step one square to my left. Round 3: You begin setting your beartrap. The incubus smiles seductively at your displaced image... The incubus strikes at your displaced image and misses you! The incubus strikes at your displaced image and misses you! You finish arming the beartrap. Your movements are now unencumbered. Round 4: The dagger named BDD hits the ice vortex! The ice vortex engulfs you! You feel mildly chilly. Round 5: You throw 3 daggers named BDDD. The 1st dagger named BDDD hits the ice vortex! You destroy the ice vortex! The 2nd dagger named BDDD hits the incubus! The 3rd dagger named BDDD hits the incubus! You kill the incubus! (chuckle) Didn't "quite" turn out as I had planned (lots of laughs!)... Nethack can be so funny at times! ** If anybody can't figure out what happened (I made great effort to copy everything exactly), in those last five turns; ask me in the thread. And come to think of it... Anyone (or the first) who can guess why I wanted (or was going to do with) a captive incubus; will get something named after them in the game with Ellora here. Let's see how close everyone has been paying attention... ** As we can all see, though: Them BDDD's are just fantastic. And they are presently cursed. Now imagin' when they're blessed. Dunno how I would have gotten this far without them... My old BDD's aren't bad either. Those are corroded too, by the way. Hey... You know what? I just thought of something... Lemme grab some stuff from the chest and run down to the antique weapons shop for just a few minutes... OKAY! Another big discovery! Here's how I figured it: BDDD (+6 dagger) = 32 zorkminds BDD (+4 dagger) = 22 zorkminds ordinary dagger (+0) = 2 zorkminds +1 runed dagger = 7 zorkminds ordinary runed dagger (+0) = 2 zorkminds Therefore: Each +1 = 5 zorkminds on the sell price. That should be 10 zorkminds on the buy price. Well, for daggers anyway. But, judging from my notes; I strongly suspect the same for the rest of the weapons and/or projectile weaponry... Yep. A +1 elven bow goes for 35 zorkminds, and an ordinary one is at 30 zorkminds. A +2 runed arrow is 11 zorkminds. Pattern. We have a pattern! I've named a few weapons with "+" for each level that I'm sure of. For those that I'm not certain, I have added a "?". So, for instance, a curved sword that sells for 17 zorkminds; gets named "++?". I'm sure that it is +1, and probably +2. Anyhow, just to let you know - I have devised a system (laugh!). I'd explore this further. But I have a headache still (It's getting worse.). I'll save and come back tomorrow... ... Tomorrow now being today... Blech. I feel like my brain cells are cemented together. Having a hard time to think / concentrate. Must be coming down with something... I'll take it easy for now. Let's see what the r.g.r.n deities have been up too... One of them suggests a review of my chronicled adventure so far. Good advice. I had previously mentioned that to myself in an earlier part, or parts. Too lazy (and sick) to look for the specific reference, from which chapter it was (wink). Another has suggested that the amulet of Yendor is far beyond the Valley of the Dead... (sad face). The guide may be misleading, again... Seems like I'm also near, or not so near, to discovering something about blessed water. But gazing down upon the altar, where I've been verifying various things lately, I see that I have seven vials of the liquid. Funny... I swear I had nine (!?). I didn't put any in the bag, and can't check now cause it's cursed. Maybe some got disintegrated back at the fountain? It (the fountain) may have latent lich / titan abilities. Oh well, at least 2 have survived their blessed state. Now big decision coming up in the near future will be: What do I bless (again)... Anyhoo... Time to go over Ellora's story. See if there are any loose ends to tie up, before continuing on... ... The day after tomorrow now being today... Things learned, relearned, brought to light, from the review: - He he. The 'clean dungeon campaign' sure changes how the game flows. No way I'd be this well off, if I hadn't adopted that. Makes for a longer game though. But a well worthwhile trade off concerning: Surviving and progressing deeper into the game... - Yes sir. I have come to the conclusion that blessed arrows do not get mulched, as often as unblessed ones. In fact; hardly at all. They are definitely more resistant. Same probably holds true to other blessed weapons / projectiles / objects. Just like the guide suggests... - Ah yes. My favorite scroll in Nethack, FOOBIE BLETCH. What is it this game...? From the discoveries screen; scroll of amnesia (FOOBIE BLETCH). (laugh!) Now would that not have deflated my balloon! Too bad. Now my favorite scroll name has finally proven to be a detrimental one (sad face - but not too sad)... - Now then. How about my favorite potion; effervescent... ? Again from the discoveries screen; potion of speed (effervescent). Well that one turned out okay (wink)... - Yep. I still fear (respect) their capability at zapping me with wands. I still drop gnome lords on sight... - Hmm... I'd like to see how it really handles one day. I may pick the boomerang as the next weapon to check in the enhance screen. Maybe it has an added application? Like when you get to "skilled" with polearms. Then again, maybe divination spells would be a better idea? I presently have; light, detect food, detect unseen, detect monsters, and clairvoyance. Identify is in that category also. Hmm... Well. I'll look at it again when I next go up a level. See how long it takes for that to happen... - Trying to throw a pick-axe into a shop doesn't work. Forgot to mention that in the story, in book 1. But, I can hide several in the bag of holding, and then pull them out once inside. As long as I don't actually use it, the shopkeeper just mouths off at me. In fact, I can even sell them (laugh!). - I have a ring of sustain ability. That may very well protect me against losing any points of charisma. Then, I might consider checking out some of these thrones... - I really have to check out; teleportating monsters, wands and scrolls of teleportation, and their various effects on me at the boulders level. I've been caught by surprise a few times this game, on different levels. Mostly when I did not want to (laugh!)... - Ah yes. Do I still have that wand I named "Lizard Lifesaver"? Or did the mindflayer make me forget? Hmm... It's not in the discoveries screen. I'll go and check the chest when I'm finished doing the review... - He he. I nearly have all of the "altar situation" in the Mazes of Menace rectified. Four of the five known altars now belong to Mars (grin). Mercury being the big loser (big grin)... - Some saving throws are always made - cold and poison. Saving throws should probably be now regarded as resistance. The wand of enlightenment, the Oracle, one of the r.g.r.n. dieties, and my experiences now suggest so. Still; it's kind of hard to let go of certain conceptions that I've clutched to, during my whole Nethack career... - Still have to completely familiarize myself with the auto pickup options. Have to absolutely get that one down pat, before entering the Valley of the Dead again... - Wow! I had, originally assembled / conjured, a whopping 18 BDD's! Where did they all go? (shake head)... - Okay. The (non rusting) snow boots were uncursed all along. That's solved. Couldn't remember, if they were or not, a few chapters back... - Have to test some mithril mail in water. See if it rusts or not. That's still not answered conclusively. I say it does (or maybe corrodes). The r.g.r.n deities say no. I better make a sticky note: "Don't kill the next ochre jelly! Need it for an experiment." Plaster it on the computer screen... - That was a good idea I had. When Jubilex first came around. Engraving "No BDD's" on the stairs. In fact, I better do the same for, "You-Know-Who"... - Dwarven mithril, any mithril for that matter, is the best. Still haven't found anything better. But what is this dragon scale mail I see in the guide? I have never come across any. It's supposed to offer the best reduction in armor class. Come to think of it, the Oracle has talked about fashioning armor from the scales of a dragon's hide. Hmm... Okay. I'll see what I can do with some of those dragon scale thingies I have accumulated deeper down, at base camp level 24... - Oh boy. Do I now find one of my old parts of the story funny. From part 16: The Trees... At the last part I laughed! Don't worry - It won't be a problem. I don't hardly ever use arrows! I've discovered that daggers is the most intelligent way to play a Ranger. I used to try and play them with bow and arrow. Believe me. I did this lots and lots of times. But besides poisoned tipped crude arrows, and some of the +2 ones in the beggining of the game; they just can't compare to dagger chucking. Especially once they have been blessed and enchanted up a bit. He he. Other solution: Blessed arrows. Maybe enchanted also. But, all in all, that statement is still kind of true. Especially before getting the Longbow of Diana... - I still dunno what's so scary about a wumpus? If your not 14th level, don't worry about it. They're slow and stupid. I think Orion should review his concerns about them. The 'vampire bat + vampire + ochre jelly combination', I encountered in the cave, was a lot worse.. - Hmm... I wonder if Scorpious' death curse, that he bestowed on me, is finally kicking in...? Can it have been a time delayed curse? Or only pertaining to leaving his place alive, or not? Hmm... - I have to zap that wand of enlightenment on me again. Think I left it behind at base camp level 24. Or is it in the cursed bag of holding? In either case: I should check that out. Maybe it'll tell me if I'm under an "evil eye"... - Gremlin is going to be my next pet. Can't wait! But I'll hold off till I've completed some other tasks. After that, I'll get the panther I locked up in Marsville... ** Now accepting suggestions on appropriate names. Gremlin is male. Panther is female. Send by e-mail. Don't clog the thread for this. ** - Digging a hole near the downstairs, at least on the levels where the stairs are far between, may be an idea. Like what I discovered about that hole on the titan's level. Where the stairs are separated by water. Have to run a few experiments on where I continuously end up though... - Gonna have to get my courage up. Still have to re-map all them forgotten levels. I'll need to find all them fountains, and probably thrones, again. Not to mention, and most importantly, the forgotten caches... - The more I think of it, the more I like that idea. The one on getting a personal guard composed of gargoyles. From the remaining eggs I laid a while back. Have to uncurse the bag of holding. I'll need it to haul all that (mithril) armor down to base camp level 24... - This one, perhaps being the most important: When faced with emergency situations; it's best to just take things slow. Do stuff (commands) that take no time on the clock. Look at the different screens (inventory, status, etc.) Do lots of look commands (";"). Also the "?" command. And/or the "/" command. All of these don't count against an action. May very well give you an idea to something you haven't thought of already - or stimulate an innovative idea. At worst: Take a break! Let your intuition work a while. Now then. Let's put some of this wisdom to use... I gazed upon the sorry state of most of my valued objects on the altar. Many of my favorite, and essential, ones were still cursed (sad face). I picked up a few, that would still bring me some use - such as; the BDDD's and the Longbow of Diana. As long as I do not actually wield them, I'll be fine. For now... I'll get to all of this cursed stuff later. I feel like a little cheering up. I'll go visit my buddy; "You-Know-Who"! I grabbed an uncursed staff from the "appraised weapons pile". Yes. I now have three different piles of weapons and two of armor here. Plus a pile of tools. Plus the chest. Plus the ice box. Plus the pile of unsorted / unclassified stuff on the altar. (laugh!) The altar room (base camp level four), is a veritable depot! I'll use the staff as my new melee practice weapon. It shouldn't get rusted or corroded. Well. I'll see. If it does; no big loss (wink). Let's head up... Part 35: Experiments -------------------- - First thing, of many, on the "things to do" list... I tried to call ("SHIFT + c") him by his nickname... Yeenoghu doesn't like being called names! Okay. So that kills that. I am massively disappointed (sulk). Now I have to "actually" call him Yeenoghu. Yuch! I now see that: Yeenoghu, is nothin' but one big grouchy demon lord. Must still feel kind of touchy, about having all the gnolls genocided from underneath him a while back... - Next thing on the list... Well - I won't change my engravings on the stairs till they wear out; "You-Know-Who! Don't do - you know what!!". That's what I wrote on both; the downstairs on level 1, and the upstairs on level 2. May as well be safe. Okay buddy, nice chattin' with you - not. Yennoghu grunts. I muttered a few choice words about his attitude, underneath my breadth, going back down the stairs... - A new observation... On my way back down to base camp, I ran into a few monsters and had a little scrap. I saw something interesting... I saw an orc (a hill orc) pick up an acid blob corpse! Hmmm... Now why would he do that? I stepped up to him, and bashed his face in with the blessed morning star. Then I offered both of them to Mars. But still... Why would he actually want to pick up that? What was he going to use it for, if anything? Hmmm... That gives me an idea about something. I'll make a note of this. Maybe we can have some chuckles in the future (wink). - Next! I rooted through the chest and saw the old wand named "Lizard Lifesaver" (See Part 3). It's still here! And hey - it's blessed! Wow. Now to try something with it... I picked up those two cursed lizard corpses, from the fountain incident (Parts 32 and 33), and placed them on the ground. Took a few steps back and zapped them. Sure enough, a lizard sprang up. While it was trying to bite me, I walked back to where both corpses had been. I saw that there was now only one. Hmmm... I turned around and bashed the live lizard with the blessed morning star, till it was just a blotch on the ground. Now I stepped over to a spot where I was in direct line of sight to both corpses, that were now on individual squares. Zap. Lo and behold! Both corpses came to life! I did the look. Nothing was said about them being cursed. Hmmm... Exchange. Beat them both untill dead with the staff. I got the message saying I could check the box. Oh good. Threw the staff back on the pile. I don't like it. Even if it doesn't rust. It takes two hands. I'd rather use a battle-axe, or a forked polearm for that matter. I picked up their carcasses and dropped them on the altar. They were now uncursed. Aaa-ha! Here's another way to uncurse stuff (grin). Zap cursed objects with a blessed wand that affects them. I go back to the chest and root through it some more. Nope. No other blessed wands here. But I'll keep all this in mind... I stowed the wand in the chest, and threw the lizards in the ice box. - Next! Mars isn't ready for a reconciliation. Gonna take too long till he is. I need my stuff now. At least get that bag of holding going again. I really need it. Root through the chest. How many scrolls of remove curse I got? Three. Well, I'll use one now... Wait! I have an idea... I dip the three scrolls, all simultaneously, in a blessed potion of water. They glowed blue. Verify on the altar... Yep. They're now blessed. Okay... Pick up all the cursed stuff I can possibly hold. It was everything except for some weapons, and the two black gems. I didn't even bother with any of the armor from the piles. I grit my teeth and held my breadth. As I read a scroll, I was thinking: Hope this (blessing the scrolls) was all worth it... Yippee! Got the bag - and all the stuff I had picked up, uncursed! Great! Yepper. Blessed stuff is just wonderful (laugh!)! I better drop everything back on the altar. Just to make sure... Wonderful! Everything is a-okay. I got a lot of mileage out of that potion. Got a multitude of objects uncursed in one shot. I'll try and keep that in mind: Do mass blessings, whenever possible. Okay. I'll stow the last one (blessed water potion) in the chest. Keep it for another emergency. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some more soon. I'm gonna need at least five more. For some other ideas I have kicking around in my head. I'm working on some other ways, or variations there of, on getting more... - Next! Went back to that fountain. Tried a few things. BUT NOT BEFORE; leaving some of my stuff in a pile outside the room. Most of my attempted actions were; inconclusive, disappointing, or confusing. Got some weird messages (scratch head). Then the fountain broke and formed some pools of water. Didn't get any vials filled, only diluted some... There's another on level 8. Had to explore a bit to find it again. Good thing I took notes of the different things on the levels. Or else, that most despicable of all species - the mindflayer - would have... Hrumph. Best not to think about that. You all know how I feel about them now. I'm sure... Any way, got two more vials of water from that one. Then two snakes came out and the fountain dried up (sad face). But! I got an idea... Ran back up to base camp. Made a kit expressively for fountain dipping. It contains second rate; armor, weapons, and other extra stuff. I'll be wearing / carrying that when I actually go through the motions. I'll change into it just after I'm certain that no wandering monsters are around. Leave all my good stuff a little ways further. Notably; a blessed scroll of remove curse (!). I'll also see if any of these cursed useless potions, that I've ear marked as such, will go straight to being blessed. Also again; I'm bringing a cursed dwarven, and a cursed elven, mithril-coat with me... All the fountains up to, and including, the Oracle level are gone (sad face). They either dried up, or broke apart. But I have 11 vials of uncursed water now (grin)! Just have to figure out how to get them blessed. I'm going to stop using cursed daggers as testing tools. I have 53 cursed darts. More than enough. I doubt there are more than 20 fountains in the whole Mazes of Menace... - Next! Mithril mail gets wet - it does not rust (!). But, I'll now save this experiment for the next water trap I (re)discover. I lost a fountain containing blessed water doing this. The dwarven coat became uncursed when I dipped it. - Next! Acid / corrosion test... Took off my gauntlets of power. I didn't want to kill this monster too quick... Y - an uncursed dwarvish mithril-coat (weapon in hand). You begin bashing monsters with your dwarvish mithril-coat. You hit the spotted jelly. You hit the spotted jelly. You are splashed by the spotted jelly's acid! Your dwarvish mithril-coat is not affected. Okay. I believe you now. I was wrong. Mithril doesn't rust or corrode. But acid splashes hurt! I took three splashes. Knocked me for 42 hit points! I then stepped back a few squares, and let it have it with; blessed rusty thoroughly corroded arrows (thumbs up!). - Next! Some puzzling encounters... Saw an imp, on dungeon level 5. It was friendly (peaceful). Strange? I thought imps were lawful? I'm chaotic? (scratch head) Maybe I'm just not remembering well... Dungeon level 10... You hear a chugging sound. Uh - oh. That means something has just quaffed a potion. Better do a monster check... A quasit. But it's not friendly (peaceful)? They're supposed to be chaotic!? Unless I have imps and quasits confused...? Woah! The quasit just attacked me three times! Impressive for such a little tike (laugh!)! Must have drunk a potion of speed. Well. Since it's bent on being so persnickety... BDDD's away! Ughh... This quasit corpse tastes terrible! Better check my status line to see if I'm sick... Heah! I have 105 hit points! When did that change?! I haven't changed levels since... Uhm... ** Quickly scan through Ellora's story again... ** Since just after I turned Medusa to a statue (Part 23). Okay... (scratch head). How, and when, did this happen? Boy. Sure is strange. And I'm paying pretty close attention to stuff. Well, I dunno. No other message about the quasit. Other than how it tasted. I just dunno... I'll see if it ever happens again. Next time I eat one... Found someone counting money on level 12. I immediately went into lich alert! But monster detection revealed it was a Grey-elf (?). Sure enough though, he was in a little room with 1,827 zorkminds. Hmmm... I think I know of some other places (levels) where that sound is happening... - Next! Eating... Ecch - that must have been poisonous! You seem unaffected by the poison. The snake corpse tastes terrible. Ecch - that must have been poisonous! You seem unaffected by the poison. The scorpion corpse tastes terrible. Hmm... Poison resistance. Yep. Must be that. This carrot is delicious! You can see again! The Oracle was right! But don't tell me it's the old; "rabbit and glasses" joke. Hmmm... I have a pair of lenses somewhere. I wonder... - Next! Some fun... I killed a wraith. This is an excellent corpse for me to try something with. This idea came from that orc that picked up the acid blob... Oh good. Here comes a gray unicorn. Make sure I have the wraith corpse wielded... Hmm... Took me 4 hits to kill it. Dunno if it drained any levels or not (?). I tinned the unicorn. Have another idea. But in the meanwhile: I need another lab rat. Put on blindfold. A piercer. Let's go see... Two hits. No funny messages when I connect with my target either. What else is hanging around? A cockatrice. Okay. Let's see how that works... Three hits. Hmmm... That wasn't many. It left a corpse, though. After the wraith corpse rots away, I'll try that one next. What else is around...? He he. A cockatrice corpse sure gets someone out of your face in no time at all! Made six statues. Got another idea while I was doing this. Pulled out the pick-axe and broke them apart. Puzzling observation(s) here... A little leperchaun statue made 45 rocks. A hill giant statue made only 22 rocks (?). You'd think it would be reversed, eh? All this made me think of something else: I'll bust apart Medusa's statue with the pick-axe next time I get there. Just in case she comes back to life. Like it sometimes happens with statues. In fact, I'll now bust apart statues of dangerous monsters. Hmmm... Wonder if all the rocks would come back together, if a troll statue would be busted and then come back to life? Saw some Uruk-hai. Well a whole throng of them. There were at least ten! Oh boy! I like playing with orcs (big grin). I waited for the first one around a corner. When he got there, I jumped him with my bare, gauntlets of power coverd, hands. Had a wrestling match. Gave some of them body slams. I also tried throwing one of their corpses at the whole line - didn't work. Then I wielded a corpse and bashed the others with it. It was hilarious! They were even shooting each other in the back with poisoned tiped arrows (laugh!). Got 45 uncursed poison tipped crude arrows, and 6 cursed ones. (big thumbs up!) - Next! A new revelation from the Oracle! True to her word, the Oracle offhandedly says: "They say that a summoned demon could improve your game." He he he. I guess Yeenoghu is a good luck charm then. I'll go visit him again. Bring a looking glass with me. Also: If he should get killed accidentally..., I'll summon another - now that I think I know how. - Next! Other stuff... Saw an iguana. On a whim; took "Dragonbane" out of the bag. Didn't (again) notice nothin' special... More appraising with weapons; since my discovery on their price versus the amount of +'s they are. Blessed, cursed, rusty, corroded (all levels), poisoned, or any combination of these; does not affect the price of the object in any way - what so ever. That, has now been thoroughly investigated by me. Having a calculator on hand is a must. Well for my brain (laugh!). When you get something like; 156 gold pieces for 26 blessed arrows. How am I gonna know what that means? I have only 10 fingers (wink)! But with a calculator: That translates to: 6 gold pieces per arrow. Which = +1 blessed arrows. Some weird prices came up. Like; 32 gold pieces for 7 uncursed crude arrows (?). That doesn't come out to a whole number per unit. Must be some kind of rounding factor for certain items. Well. Perhaps it's caused by how incompetent orcs are. Like the guide says; "The armor and weapons fashioned by the Orcs are typically of inferior quality." (laugh!) Found a blessed dagger that was going for 22 gold pieces. I named it: BDD. And; how come money is called "zorkminds" and shopkeepers give the prices in "gold pieces"? Good thing I'm an intelligent Elf. Else I may get confoosed (wink). Lynx's leave all kinds of stuff behind. Anywhere from; food rations, to gems, to tinning kits, and gray (or grey) stones. Tried to sacrifice the tined gray unicorn: You can't sacrifice that! I seem to have a hard time hitting things when "throwing" corpses. In fact, I haven't hit anything yet! I've tried it with; Uruk-hai, hill orc, cockatrice, wraith, bugbear, gnome lord, and dwarf king corpses. Guess it doesn't work... I pummeled an acid blob with one of the luckstones. But there weren't any other monsters around to throw it at them. So I gave it to Mars. Fought a dwarf somethin' or other dude. When things got two hot for him, he zapped a wand of digging and fell down a hole. I immediately followed then promptly dropped him, of course. But I took advantage of the opportunity to try something else on my list. I ran back up and dropped myself through the hole a few times. In order to test that idea I had. Don't look like it's so great. I keep dropping in different places. I'll hold off for now. Just use that on certain levels. - Big mistake stuff... You make a motion towards the altar with your carrot. The voice of Mars booms out: "How darest thou desecrate my altar!" You feel foolish! (sad face) Okay. Running low on food in the ice box. Have most of the levels between 1 and 10 maped out again. Gonna make a trip down the Mazes of Menace with some loot to base camp level 24. I'll come back with some food. And maybe a scroll or two of charm monster... Part 36: More Experiments ------------------------- Well, lots has happened since the last installment... I went back to base camp level 24 to get some extra food. Was running low with all the stuff I was doing around the upper area to the Mazes of Menace, as well as the caverns. Proceeded to shuttle booty down and continue to re-map the forgotten levels from the incident with the m-ndfl---r. All the while, I was trying out a few things on my 'list of things to do'. Here are but just a few of all the things I either; did, try, found, discover, etc. - Darn it. I don't have any scrolls of charm monster left (sad face). Hopefully a lynx will be carrying around a magic marker... - A pointy hat. The conical hat I got, from the previous mass uncursing (see part 35), became a big disapointment. I thought it was a magic user hat, thus it would improve my spell casting. No way. It didn't do nothin' to help that. To boot; it was -2. Adding to instead of, subtracting from my armor class. And to crown the whole affair; it dropped 1 off of my charisma (roll eyes). I threw it on my garbage pile... - The following happened when I ate something: Blecch! Rotten food! The world spins and goes dark. You are conscious again. You resume eating your meal. You finish eating the food ration. (laugh!) You'd think that my character would have stopped eating, no...? - The lich lenses. Remember the lenses I found when I killed the lich that was counting money (see Part 28)? Well... I still have no clue what they're supposed to be for (laugh!)! Thought that the whole thing with the carrot and blindness from the Oracle (see Part 35) gave me an idea. I saw a bat and let it blind me. I put on the lenses to see if it would cure me. Nope. Maybe they increase my intelligence? Nope. I thought that they might help in my accuracy with thrown / fired weapons. But then I realized that: It didn't matter - I never miss any way! Thought it may help me when I'm dealing with shopkeepers. Counting the money, you know. Maybe I could short-change him or something. Nope. I'll put them on the 'things to be blessed list'. But there pretty far down (lots of laughs). Maybe they'll show something when they do - like other stuff sometimes does. They also get in the way of the blindfold. Oh well. I carry them with me in the bag. Sometimes I wear them. Sometimes I don't. (shrug) - Finaly, I found a cave spider! "Sting" killed it in one shot. Hmmm... Not bad. So then this is what "Sting" was designed to do (?). Kill spiders in one shot and warn me of orcs (?). (shrug) At least Mars fire proofed it. Won't burn up next time I meet a pyrolisk... - Tried to call something in the same square as me: This ugly creature is called Ellora and cannot be renamed. Okay. Remind me, and then rub it in (see prologue to book 1). Although I'm female AND Elf, the game won't generate a pretty one... - A new message from the Oracle: "Affairs with nymphs are often very expensive." (laugh!) Well, maybe so. But the little darling that stole "Stormbringer" from me - saved my life (wink). - More has been revealed about my amazing cloak of displacement. It seems that my images are displaced up to a range of three. I had previously thought that it was up to a range of two. But recent observations from flailing, and failing, monster attacks say otherwise. I've even had non-cursed missile weapons, that were thrown at me, miss me by two squares! That's great. Spheres explode away from me. Monsters swing, as well as, throw things that have zero chance of connecting with my little Elf body (big grin). - I got a spellbook of "stone to flesh". That gives me an idea... Some statues are heavier than others. Even though they are of the same monster type. I'm going to try something next time I'm at the Oracle level... - I found this engraved in the dust somewhere... You read: "Vhy dc y?u tr?n| they ca?l them ?e cenaries?". Why do you think they call them mercenaries? I have no clue who "they" are. Till I do, I'll reserve my answer... - Throwing "Stormbringer"! This also drains the life from certain monsters. Doesn't really serve me all "that" much, but handy to know and keep in mind... - Killed a rust monster that left a corpse: Took off my gauntlets of power. I don't know if they're made of metal or not. Well, I didn't at the time (wink). Picked up the corpse and walked around till I found a monster that was wearing armor. Turned out to be some kind of elf. Tried to make his stuff rust by bashing him to death with the corpse. But once I was rooting through his objects; I suddenly realized that since he's an elf - he's wearing mithril (slap forehead)! Not only that, but his boots and helm aren't made of metal either. The corpse rotted away before I could find another test subject. Where are a mob of orcs when you need 'em, eh? Oh well. At least it confirmed that mithril is rust proof, again. Throwing the corpse still doesn't work. I kept missing... - Boulders level and teleportation. Did some experiments at the 'boulders' levels with scrolls of teleportation, and wands of teleportation. Been meaning to do that for a while now. Lots of experiments. Burned a wand completely and 2 scrolls. I think I know everything about that (or this) now... Gonna come in handy when I need to do an "emergency quick exit" from the levels where the natural laws of teleportation do not apply (!). Only thing that I didn't get to do, that I wanted to try, was; to get engulfed and try teleportating myself (or the monster). This idea came from when I got swallowed by Burp back in Part 18. But no such monster showed up. Not even a dust vortex... (disappointed face) - Some words from the hunters in the maze of steel trees on Home level 1: "Birdsong has returned to the grove, surely this means you have defeated Scorpious." I'm glad that the birdies are chirpin' for them all. But I have a nagging feeling that Scorpious' death curse, that he put on me, keeps coming back to haunt me. I keep discovering cursed items on me, from time to time... "Is that truely the Longbow of Diana that I see you carrying?" Yea. That's truly the Longbow of Diana. Don't touch it. Only a 14th level Ranger scout, or above, can wield it (wink)... And the only thing Orion wants to know; is how I'm doin' with retrieving the amulet of Yendor. I'll let you know, Orion. But, I'm still organizing for an assault on the Valley of the Dead. Still have a bunch of things to do first. Like get my stuff outa your damn maze of steel trees (!). - Something weird on Home level 1: There's a gnome lord on the west side of the maze of steel trees. I can't get at him, or shoot him. And, it seems, so is the case for him... (?) - Another ingenious idea that worked! I was in the little room, in the middle of the steel tree maze. Contemplating on how I could reduce the amount of time it would take me to get all the loot out of here. Then I got a flash of light: This is the same type of area as the boulders level! I put all the remaining booty in the two chests. There was still a lot, and most of it was real heavy stuff. I then took a step back and zapped each chest with a wand of teleportation. They disappeared. Where to? Who cares. Anywhere but here would be that much closer to exiting with them (laugh!). Turned out they had both gone to the big open area. So only one trip within the maze of steel trees was required! It is too bad that I didn't know about this trick, when I was here before (see various parts in book 1). This was a huge accomplishment. I feel extremely proud of myself. Felt better about this than many of my other accomplishments in the game so far (smile of satisfaction). This part of the game, the steel tree maze, has got to be one of the worst. But thanks to it being so annoying; it got me really thinking on how to work around it. At least, as long as, if I have a wand of teleportation... - "Stormbringer" life draining to nothin': While I was sorting through my booty on Home level 1, an ice troll kept on hassling me. I had my arms full of stuff, thus being strained or stressed. I knew that if I killed him quick, BDDD's you know, that he'd be back up in no time. So then I... Told him to hang on a few minutes. That I was kinda busy. I had all these things to sort through and classify. My mind was really occupied with what has to go where, etc. I'd be with him soon. We'd have a little scrap then. But: He kept on. I kicked him a few times, but he just didn't get the message. Well. Then I got pissed... (In case you haven't noticed by now - my mind really focuses when I'm upset!) I dropped all the extra stuff I was carrying in one fell swoop. Took off my gauntlets of power. Exchanged. Drained the life from him with a hit from the black blade. Stepped away, and stayed away from him, for eight ticks on the clock. Repeated the process for a total of 6 times. When he fell... He never ever got back up (!). I know. Cause, I spent a lot of time after that sorting through all my junk. And his corpse was on the square right next to me the whole time. "Stormbringer" was uncursed, not blessed, at the time. So it wasn't working at optimal effectiveness. Else this may not have worked out as well. Blessed stuff works wonderfully, I have now discovered. - Base camp level 24. I had started writing the story about how I brought the ice box down to here. I have lots of food, you know. But after a while, it was turning out just to be a long boring story - even to me (laugh!)! However, this place is now starting to really shape up, and it will save me from having to describe what's been happening here. So, I'll just skip ahead in time a little bit, and describe what this area is like now. Base camp here, has become more like a general headquarters than a base camp (laugh!)! Carved out some more alcoves with the pick-axe in the ex-temple to Mars. Have; four chests (some came from as far away as Home level 1), two large boxes, the ice box (Yes. I lugged it all the way down to here now. But that's a story I'll spare you from.), and three piles of stuff on the floor. The six boxes and chests, and the Bell of Opening, are all in their own individual alcoves. In all my Nethack experience, monsters have never materialized in a doorway. Just like traps never appear in a corridor. So then, I know that no monster will appear and start messing with my stuff, like a gelatinous cube or storm giant, as long as its placed in one of these what I call "alcove", but the game calls "doorway" with the "/" command. The Bell of Opening refuses to go into any container (I tried lots of times). So it gets its own spot (shrug). I tried toying with an idea (Yes, I'm full of ideas - laugh!) I had. I kept a chest full of cursed stuff in the same square as the altar. For when I pray to Mars. In case he felt like uncursing all my stuff. But after a while, I moved it out of the way. Just was more of a hassle going through; the loot commands between it and the bag of holding, and dropping / picking up stuff onto / from the altar, etc. Just became a big headache (roll eyes). Oh well. Another idea that didn't work. But I got more ideas coming all the time... So any ways. I named the ice box "Fridge". The large boxes are named; "Garbage", and "Cursed Stuff". The chests are named; "Missiles", "Ordnance", "The Cache", and "Tools". The three piles on the floor are; identified sundry weapons, identified sundry armor, and unidentified sundry weapons and armor combined. Everything is at least three squares and more from the altar. Except for the "Fridge", which is at range two. I placed it there when I was still in the renovations phase of reorganizing the place. It's now full, and I don't feel like emptying it just to move it back a square. It still kind of gets in my way, but it'll likely stay where it is... I mention the above, cause I found out I need room to maneuver around the altar when big heavy monsters show up. I have to try and lure them close, if not onto, the altar. That's so that I can have time to offer them to Mars when I kill them. And some of them would pick up a whole bunch of my junk before croaking. Just made me sort through and pile all my stuff again. I hated that. So... Besides the "Fridge", I have a real neat - while extremely functional - base to work from (big grin). Now I'm really, really, really hoping that the information in the Guide and from Izchack, are what they are. Else I'll have to move all this stuff further down in the future. But hey. If I have to - I have to. At least I have now learned how to properly organize a base camp, from which to stage missions from. - Met an Aleax: The "/" command told me the following: Said to be a doppelganger sent to inflict divine punishment for alignment violations. Oh man (roll eyes). Get real. Mercury already sent an angel to harass me (see Part 28). Is this Aleax thing going to fair any better...? Salvo throw BDDD's... Nope. It went down to BDDD salvo fire just like anything, and everything, else does. Guess ol' Mercury must be gettin' pretty upset with losing all his alters (wink). - More from the Oracle: Sinks and armor do not mix. Take off your cloak. (scratch head). Hokay... Just can't figure how that will change things? But I gave it a try. I took off my cloak and then tried another slew of commands around some sinks... Nothin' came from it. - Money counter... Found somebody doing that again. Can't remember where, but it was around base camp level four. This time it was a wight. He had 750 zorkminds in another little 2 square by 2 square room. Hmmm.... That's now at least 3 I've found... - Elbereth Lot's of experiments on different monsters done around this time. I was near the top eight levels. Works well when both; a monster that it affects, and when I levitate above the same square. Does not work on; Elves (all kinds), gremlins, shopkeepers, incubuses, and Yeenoghu. - Scrolls of scare monster: Careful! These crumble to dust when you pick them up. I keep one - the only one I have - in my bag of holding. This may very well come in handy for the future. I know it would have, at the really bad fight I had on level 10 (see Part 7). Back when I first had Missy Prissy. Or, my recent one at, the Valley of the Dead (see Part 26). - Oups! I hit the wrong key... What are you looking for? The exit? The air around you crackles with electricity. You seem unhurt. The first two in that message sequence are funny (laugh!)! - Thrones. Tried a few. But not before putting on my fountain dipping kit! Any ways, to make things short; most disappeared on me. Got some out of place messages and something or other. Haven't noticed any changes in my stats. But I had the ring of sustain ability on, in order to protect my charisma from dropping. But two thrones brought a surprise. I summoned an audience, of which I subsequently butchered. And I got to wish for an item! ** On this I pondered for over an hour, while the computer stayed on. I didn't dare to try and save the game (don't think its possible), and I didn't want to take the chance of "escaping" from it like I did with the wand at the fortress. So I went for some coffee and a few smokes. Took a trip to the mall and bought a carton of cigarettes. Just needed my brain to experience a different environment, and let it stir on some ideas. ** Well. I finally decided on asking for a: "scroll of charging". Here were my reasons: I had the wand of wishing from the "Elbereth" chest from the fortress. But it was drained. I still had a potion of blessed water. This would be used to bless the scroll. I am now depending on the "blessed is best" school of thought. I then could (hopefully) recharge the wand. Thus getting, at the very least, another wish. If worse came to worse; I would have the charging scroll identified for the cost of a blessed water potion. But if I got two wishes instead of one from the wand; I could get the potion of blessed water back, identify the scroll of charging, and have a wish in hand. Anything more than two extra wishes would be pure bonuses (!!). If worst came absolutely to worst; I would try and wrest the last charge from it. Therefore it was almost guaranteed that I'd get two wishes. So the scroll of charging turned out to be "XIXAXA XOXAXA XUXAXA". Fine. I had no idea what it was. And nothing close to it appeared in my scroll notes or appraisals. So I also got it appraised at Chibougamau's shop. Another thing accomplished. - I told you so... On level 21, the statue of an ettin zombie came to life! Stupid me. And I had already mentioned this several times in the story so far. That statues will sometimes come to life when your near them. That statue, as well as all the other ones I've reported, have all been moved. This is to see what's underneath them. So this was really a statue at some point. Not something pretending to be. Though... Now It's a rotting corpse (wink). Any way. This just re-affirms my plan to shatter all dangerous statues... - Blessed water brain storm. Got a big idea. Actually. I've been mulling this one through my head for a while now... Basing this from what the guide, the Oracle, and my intuition says: There are five altars and/or places of worship of the gods, in the game. I brought one uncursed potion called water to the altar; on level 1 with Yeenoghu, at base camp level 4, and at Marsville. I dropped them on the same square with the altars. Maybe it just takes a little time, and/or sacrificing with them present for something to happen. (shrug) Can't hurt. And as long as I wear the blindfold before leaving the level, I'm sure that no monster is gonna pick them up (This is from my discovery about this in the guide. See Part 20). Next. I brought two potions to the priestess of Venus on level fourteen. Yea. I know. I have to kill her for Mars. But I want to make sure that she has no use to me first... I dropped the potions on the altar to Venus and stepped away. I waited till she had moved to the same square as the potions and the altar. That done; I chatted with her. She asked for a donation. That's what I was expecting, and hoping, she would say. I gave her 1,002 zorkminds. Here was my reasoning... The most expensive potion in the game was 444 zorkminds. Whatever that is, I could care less, I just know it wasn't blessed water. So then if that's the most expensive, two of those would be 888 zorkminds. So I figured that I'd give a little more. I figured an extra 10% for a total of 977 zorkminds. Then an extra zorkmind on top of that, in case the computer calculated that it has to be more than the 'price + 10%', for a total of 978 zorkminds. Then I figured that I'd better give an extra zorkmind "per" potion that I wanted converted, for a new total of 979 zorkminds. Then I thought that the computer might not like that. Because that new total number would not divide evenly into a whole number. (groan) Okay fine. I'll give her 500 zorkminds per potion. I'll pay that. After all; If I ever really need to buy something from a shop - I'll just murder the shopkeeper. So besides for blessed water - I have no need for zorkminds. And if I do - I'll just kill stuff (like a shopkeeper) till I got enough. Okay. So finally... I got scared that the computer might not like this new total cause the last number was a zero. If you ever got a message on your home computer saying: "Error. Division by zero." You know what I mean. So 1,002 zorkminds was my final amount. The priestess thanked me for my contribution. I waited for her to move away from the altar. The potions were still there. I picked them up and dropped them. They were still uncursed!? Hey! I just paid you over a thousand smacks to bless these things. What gives? The priestess wanted more money. It was very difficult..., but through great mental self-discipline...; I managed to resist the impulse of SLAYING HER WHERE SHE STOOD. Keeping my composure, I told her she'd better have those potions blessed, by the time I passed through here next! (mumble, grumble) - Newest addition to the list of 'things to do'. If I ever find some coffee in the game, I'll bring it to Izchack... - Leperchauns only carry gold. I have, as of yet, never found anything else on them. - Speaking of leperchauns... If I don't have any number showing next to the "$" on the status line; the leperchuans don't pop out of sight. They just try to flee when I bop them. - Current favorite leperchaun thumping device: A blessed +1 morning star. Works real well. Especially when bringing the spiked ball down along a vertical arc. Meets the top of their noggin real good, without me having to bend down. - Sleeping? #chat The leperchaun seems not to notice you. (You have one guess as to what happened next...) - No idea what this means (?). You hear snoring snakes. I searched the whole level with the Longbow of Diana's real time monster detection ability. Nothin'. No snakes. No types of snake. No lizards at all, even... (?) You hear a strange wind. Same thing again. I searched all over. Didn't come across any dust vortices, nor air elementals... (?) - Confoosed... I was at base camp level 24. Doing what else? None other than; rootin' through my stuff (laugh!). When an umber hulk came round and confused me with his gaze. Well. That gave me an idea. Why don't I take this opportunity to test something from the Oracle? I was standing on the same square as the chest named "The Cache". Lucky. That meant that I didn't have to try and move to the right one (laugh!). I pulled out a scroll, made sure I had the Longbow of Diana wielded, and read it. My gauntlets of power became rust proof! Looks like I was also confused in real life (laugh!). Okay... My gauntlets are made of metal. So then that solves that. I can now safely pick up rust monster corpses. Also, reading a scroll of enchantment while confused, rust proofs objects. The Oracle was right on there. The umber hulk was getting closer, so had to hurry and try something else the Oracle had suggested... I ate one of my lizard corpses. Nothin'. I was still confused. Hmmm... That didn't work. Now I'm starting to question whether the Oracle is 100% accurate. Again... Oh well. Apply unicorn horn. Now then. I applied a looking glass towards the umber hulk. It got confused from it's own reflection. Great! The looking glass doesn't work on too many monsters. But It sure is funny on this thing (laugh!). Combined with it trying to find me with the cloak of displacement on, it sure looked drunk (!). Next. I wielded a lizard corpse and proceeded to pound the umber hulk. I don't think it ever got unconfused. No message came up saying so any way... Well. That wasn't bad. Got to try quite a few things on my 'list of things to do' - all in one encounter (big grin)! Now then. I wonder how Mars likes these things? Let's see. I drag this corpse with the big mandibles towards the altar... Part 37: Identify! ------------------ I dumped the umber hulk's body on the altar to Mars. Offered it and got the reconciliation message. Okay. Time to maybe get a pile of stuff uncursed. I dropped all non-essential items. Then went to the large box named "Cursed Stuff" and pulled out all the cursed stuff that my backpack could accommodate. Now I prayed... Mars gave me a dusty spellbook. I was somewhat disappointed. Mars hadn't uncursed my stuff in a long time. Oh well. I put all the cursed items back in the box and dropped the dusty spellbook on the altar. It was blessed, of course. So, I blew the dust off the cover, and read it... IDENTIFY! Oh boy! I go to the spell screen. Yep. I was correct all along. It's a third level spell. Quickly, I got out of my armor and looked again... 98% fail. Hmmm... Not too good (sad face). Ponder... Well. Now is the time - if it was any... I went to the "enhance" screen and checked the box next to divination spells. Back to the spells screen. It was down to 38% fail! Good enough! Now I started the long - yet exciting - process of identifying; chests, boxes, and piles, all full of loot and booty... Well. I ran out of power pretty quick (sad face). Now I learned another lesson: Identify stuff that's really hard to identify first! So, I filled up the time required for my power to get back up several ways... - With trips down to Chibougamau's shop, in order to verify how close I was with the appraisals I had previously done. Turned out that I was almost perfect with the price to "+" ratio I had uncovered previously. Was only off by a + on some polearms and a few swords. But for all the rest of the weapons - I was bang on (!). Great. I'll hold off on identifying weapons till I get some of these amulets, rings, and tools figured out. - With the ongoing process of re-maping the lost levels. This was taking longer than expected. Mainly due to me constantly getting sidetracked with all the things on my 'to do' list (laugh!). - With shuttling booty from the upper levels down to the big base camp here, on level 24. I was rediscovering, as well as, discovering forgotten caches and new areas on the different levels of the Mazes of Menace. - With occasional experiments when opportunities presented themselves. - New items! I had, and still am, amassed quite a horde of booty. A lot of it was unknown. Like; rings, potions, amulets, tools, and some wands, etc. To cut down on some story telling; here's some of the stuff, to me, that got identified and helped me out, and/or strengthened Ellora during this time: - A ring of warning. This thing works to a range of 8 squares. Just one beyond the Longbow of Diana's real time monster detection ability. It also works in real time. If that weren't enough; it also detects non-telepathetic monsters. Such as ochre jellies, brown mold, elf zombies, etc. This ring, combined with the occasional use of the blindfold, and simply carrying the Longbow of Diana; really reduces surprise monster encounters. Also, when I'm trying to avoid a monster, I can choose a path through the dungeon that isn't blocked by a another one that normally was tough for me to detect, unless I was on top of it - like spotted jellies. This ring is, now, nearly always on one of my hands. - A ring of slow digestion. What can I say...? No more food problems, really. But I still keep a few food items in the bag of holding. One centaur corpse keeps me going for a very long time. A dragon corpse even longer. And even jackals seem to sustain me longer. Best move I made, concerning this new discovery, was to have brought the ice box to the big base camp on level 24. At least I know that all my food isn't going to rot! This ring is, also, nearly always on one of my hands. - A ring of teleport control. This was very handy while all the level telportation traps lasted. I was using it to quickly move from, wherever I was, to base camp level 24, and vice versa. - A ring of regeneration. I don't need it for what I've been doing lately. My own hit points come back fast enough on their own. But handy in case I get in another huge fight. I'll use it to heal up faster. - Potions of gain ability. These are fun to quaff. Charisma is now at 12 (big grin)! - Number of charges on various wands. The identify spell gave me the number of charges on all my wands. Now I know how many zaps I got with them. Real handy to know. Especially for the wand of teleportation. You don't want to be caught with zero charges when surrounded by mindflayers!!!!!! - A blessed +2 spetum. This confirmed what I had devised due to having it appraised by a shopkeeper. This is a wonderful weapon. It's lightweight, and can be used to pretty well swing at anything at range two. Real good against monsters that are caught; in a pit trap, in a beartrap, behind another monster or pet, and behind a boulder. Especially if you don't want to let it touch you - like mindflayers. I know. Stand off weaponry, like BDDD's, is better. But there are situations where you either don't have such missile weapons available, or you don't want to risk losing them. Like when killing monsters in water, or that are stuck in a web. - 22 blessed +3 arrows. Enchanted nicely AND blessed. These became my new secondary super missile weapons (after the BDDD). Always good to have redundant 'long range monster dropper' capability. Just like how my old +2 runed arrows had served. - A +0 robe. Discovered this late. But when I put it on, identify fell to 0% fail. Made all future mass identifying attempts so much easier. Even with the gauntlets of power still being worn, fail rate was 3%. I carry it with me in my bag of holding. It seems, but I'm not sure, that when I am burdened, more power is used per spell attempt than when I'm not encumbered. So wearing the robe with the gauntlets of power was wonderful. Came in handy when I was identifying massive weapons / armor piles. Having stuff identified for real, was also great for figuring out their sell prices at Chibougamau's shop. I made lots of notes. This will be handy for future games. A few interesting discoveries here. Also food for thought... Silver weapons (and armor) are horrendously expensive. Even with negative, or no enchantments! All types of bows, are also very highly priced, compared to most other weapons. My original elven cloak, is the most expensive one in my entire inventory! - Other noteworthy discoveries from the spell of identify. I have 6 swords that are rustproofed. They are all long swords, and 2 of these are also blessed. Some are as high as +2 even. Hmmm... Is the game biased to fighter classes...? The wand of enlightenment is cursed. That's too bad. I had wanted to zap myself with it. A grey stone turned out to be a flint stone. Though, I have yet to succeed in figuring out how to start a fire with it. Cursed -4 arrows; get mulched 90% of the time (!!!!). "Orcrist", and "Dragonbane", had also been rustproofed by Mars! I have all kinds of weird tinned meat. Even the type of eggs can be identified (!). And the eggs I laid when I was a winged gargoyle, are gargoyle eggs. So now I finally know why my babies never grew up to be the same as their mother. There are two types of candles; tallow, and wax. Pick-axes are all at +0. So now I assume that they can be enchanted. The same applies to unicorn horns, I assume. The Bell of Opening is classified as a "Unique Item". Remember my +3 snow boots (see Part 10)? Well... They're kicking boots (laugh!)! Even though an object is identified, it doesn't mean that it will appear in the "\" screen. So watch out... - Stuff that I have no clue what they do, even though they've been identified... amulet of unchanging eucalyptus leaf crystal ball (glass orb) tooled horn pair of lenses I didn't know it was at the time; but this gift from Mars, turned out to be another major breakthrough in the game. It sure turned things around! Some highly enchanted daggers + some old BDD's + a potion of oil + 2 (one was blessed) scrolls of enchant weapon; have brought my total BDDD count to nine (!). It sure feels good to have a few of these back in my arsenal (big grin). Too bad I didn't receive (or find) this spellbook earlier. Would have saved me much work - and guessing. But then again; I also learned a lot by going through all the motions without having it. My new system of communicating with Mars is also working out quite well. These two things, combined with my new experiences, have sure changed a lot. Since the incident at the fountain (Part 32); the Longbow of Diana, "Stormbringer", and my BDDD's, have been blessed by him again. That takes a lot of pressure off of my 'things to be blessed' list. One thing for sure; all my future games will now be played very much differently... Oh yeah... Here's what "Lizard Lifesaver" turned out to be: A blessed wand of undead turning named Lizard Lifesaver. I'm confused (?). Thought I had it figured out. (shrug) Guess I'll have to try it on the next undead monster I meet at base camp level 24... I keep this wand in the "Fridge" (ice box). Part 38: Filling Water ---------------------- With all the trips I'm making back and forth, I've shortened the routes between the stairs on certain levels. The pick-axe is pretty handy. I can't recall if I've mentioned this already or not. But, I also opened up a direct route to both the stairs, and the room where all the monsters get generated on level 24. This is so that when I don the blindfold, just before exiting the level, and see a non friendly monster near my base - I can run back and off it before it starts to rummage through my stuff. I now have a few more friends here. I'll introduce them: Chuckles - the gremlin. Mort - the storm giant. Manfred - the red naga. Cuss - the Grey-elf. Cynthia - the wood nymph. Slinky - the lizard. I've seperated Cynthia from the rest, cause she just stays in a dark room by herself all the time. She's kind of anti-social. Don't like to interact with the rest of us. Chuckles is always in a good mood. Though I'm starting to think he has a few screws loose. Laughs at anything I say - no matter what. A real frivolous type of guy. Mort is a real serious giant. He's the complete opposite of Chuckles when it comes to personality. Likes discussing dungeon exploration. He's real good at science too. Something to do with electro-magnetism. Manfred... Well I'm just not too sure. He's kind of in his own world. Mumbles a lot, and talks to himself. But Mort likes him. I think their old buddies. They're often hanging together. Cuss has a really fowl temperament for an elf. I suspect something happened to him when he was young - about 400 years ago. I'm Elf too, but I'm not as intensely hostile towards orcs as he. But, he's okay when we discuss other matters. We also have a mascot on the level. Slinky, just likes to run around between all our legs (Except for Manfred, of course. He has no legs.) and, occasionally takes a nip at me. We've had a problem crop up here of late... Seems like my light spells are no longer keeping the ghosts out of the old temple. It worked for quite a while. But not any more. Either that, or they're getting braver... (?) Normally it's not a problem. I can dispatch them in 1 or 2 turns with salvo fire. But with my friends sometimes being around, it gets kinda tricky. You all know, how I sometimes have accidents, from my past experiences (wink). We had a nurse here for a while. She kept on asking me to take off my clothes. (laugh!). There's a few denizens in the Mazes of Menace that are into kinky stuff, eh? Met a demi lich. Don't tell me there are different kinds of liches now... (!?). It came from the monster generator, somewhere in that room with the shattered statue. Figured it would be only half a lich. But it looked and acted just like a regular one. It got to within 6 squares of me before I could get a proper bead on it. Lucky it didn't teleport next to me. Think it was cause I had the cloak of displacement on at the time. Checked all my stuff and didn't notice anything that got cursed. Speaking of my cloak of displacement; I figured that that's what caused this message: The dust vortex lunges forward and recoils! I'm still trying to disarm monsters with the spetum (not demi liches, by the way). It's the only function that doesn't seem to be working. Maybe it doesn't at all in Nethack (?). From the same monster generator, later on, came another nazgul. That I tried to disarm with the spetum. Cause I know they carry long swords. Didn't work. Any way, he was carrying; a long sword, a knife, a potion of acid, and a wooden ring. I think I see a pattern... I've tried real hard to start a fire with the flint stone. My best attempt was when: I pilled some blank scrolls + a scroll of fire (figured it was extra combustible) with some staffs (none were cursed, I even thought of that) from a wood golem on the ground. Now I sat, in order to be closer to the fuel. Next I rubbed "#rub" - NOT applied - the flint stone with a regular dagger (daggers rust, so I know they're made of metal). Nothing (shake head). I've since stowed the flint stone. I have many more experiments to try on my 'things to do list', any way. Oracle level 9: Two of the same type of centaur statues were at different weights. So I 'flesh to stone'ed the heavier one. Took a lot of tries. It's at 70% fail. But I got it, and when it died, I found a spellbook! Hmmm... Spellbooks are heavy... I got another idea (laugh!). A blue jelly left a corpse. Since they're cold creatures; I put it in the ice box, instead of offering it to Mars. It's still there, even after 1,600 ticks on the clock! That, with my new 'flesh to stone' spell, and bashing monsters with corpses, has led me to another idea. But I need a few more experiments first. I'll let you know how it works out. Just want you all to know that I'm always thinking (wink)... Besides the ones I've mentioned in other parts of the story, here are additional statues I've recently shattered; Medusa, lich, rust monster, trapper (level 20), ochre jelly, spotted jelly. I don't want any of those to come to life when I'm around them. As you can see from the previous, I'm at dungeon level 20 again. I'm going to now map it completely. It's the only one I haven't reported to you yet... Dungeon Level 20: - swamp room (x2) - unmarked grave - statue of a trapper (shattered) - sink - fountain Found a tombstone. It was unmarked. So pulled out the pick-axe and dug it up... You start digging downward. You dig a pit in the grave. There is a pit here. The grave seems unused. Strange... Dunno what's strange about it? But here was the contents; a scroll of magic mapping, a potion of confusion, and a worthless piece of yellowish brown glass. The trapper statue was broken by a wand of striking at range 3. No use taking chances. There was also a live trapper in one of the water rooms. He was in a tough spot to get at. I couldn't get him lined up for arrow fire. So I chopped away a path through the level with the pick-axe. When I was one square away from digging out the wall, I stepped back two squares and, zapped it with a wand of digging. Chopping a square takes 5 ticks on the clock. Didn't want to be next to it while taking so much time. It then died from blessed arrow salvos at range three. I think I ate it too. So, as it finally turned out, there were only two rooms with water puddles in them after all. I wasn't sure before. The rooms were dark, but I didn't have a light source. Mars still hasn't uncursed my brass lantern. These rooms were mostly filled with pirahnas, eels, and jellies. The spetum didn't work cause, although I can detect them with monster detection and/or warning, the game won't let me unless I can see them with normal vision (groan). So I fired arrows for a while till I ran out. Invoked the Longbow of Diana (risky, cause it wasn't 860 turns yet) and finished off the monsters in the first room. While I was running back down to base camp for more arrows; I was putting my brain and intuition to use once more (grin)... I wonder what happens when I push a boulder in a water puddle? When I got back, I chopped a path to a nearby boulder. Then pushed it into a puddle in the cleared room. It filled it up! And the game told me something about it being safe to walk there now (!?). Hmmm... So I did. Now I was wondering if I could dig in the same square? Would I strike water again? I'll try. But not before taking precautions, of course! I put on the ring of levitation first. But the game told me I was too high to dig down. Okay. Fine then. All indications suggest it's like an ordinary floor. If worse comes to worse, I'll just zap myself with the wand of teleportation, should I fall in water. I took off everything that might rust and piled it close by. Dug down and made an ordinary pit. Okay. Now that's figured out. It is just like ordinary ground. But here's the kicker: I found an eel corpse, some blessed arrows, a gem, and a kelp frond in the bottom of the pit I dug!! Hmmm... Man. This game sure has a lot of thought put into it. How come it takes so little space on my hard drive? Any way. That led to more ideas. See how when you discover something, it leads to other stuff, and yet to more discoveries? I won't get back to the Valley of the Dead till July - if this keeps up (lots of laughs)! So for the next water room, I refined my tactics so that I killed most of the monsters in the same water square. The electric eel was too stubborn. It was killed in another. I then dug my way to another boulder and pushed it into the square where most of them died. When I dug a pit in that same spot, I got a whole bunch of stuff again. Don't know what kelp fronds are. But they're classified in the comestibles area in my inventory. I'll try one later, when I'm not satiated. Still digesting the trapper. The above experiences gave me another idea. I can push a boulder, on level 28 with the fortress, into the water. That way I won't have to levitate to enter it through the front (western) entrance. It's just too bad I busted the boulders that were there already. Did that looking for stairs when back when (laugh!). Also... I think I remember which square my BDDD's went to on the titans level (27). Back when I had met the nazgul, and the water walking master mindflayer (see Part 24). Don't remember if there are any boulders near by. Probably not. And I'm sure no where near enough either. Maybe a scroll of earth... Another thing comes to mind, while speaking of water. Levitating and trying to dip potions doesn't work. Your still to high off the ground. I tried that, when I was filling vials of water from fountains, not too long ago. And speaking of water... The priestess of Venus still hasn't blessed my vials. I've since upped the ante. I gave her 2,002 zorkminds the last time I passed through her temple. I'm also giving her 1,000 clock ticks to get her act together... Part 39: Murder Under The New Moon ---------------------------------- Hello Ellora, the elven Ranger, welcome back to Nethack! Be careful! New moon tonight. Hmmm... Okay I'll be careful... Your bloodthirsty blade attacks! The imp screams! The black blade draws the life from the imp! You kill the imp! Oups! Ah crap... I felt kind of bad. This was the peaceful, yet strangely enough, lawful imp. Only such one that I'd found like this. I've since verified my sources: Imps are lawful, quasits are chaotic. I was correct. So he was kind of like an anomaly... All right. What's next on the 'list of things to do'? Hmmm... Most of the stuff left, has to be done below the ghost level. But, there are still a few concerning the upper levels. Fine. I'll concentrate on that, this session. Maybe wrap up the upper levels. But, the way I keep getting sidetracked, something else will probably crop up any way! Said good bye to my pals here, and headed up in the Mazes of Menace... Passing through level 5; I took the opportunity to murder the shopkeeper in the antique weapons shop. Murder isn't really on my list. It's just a means to achieve certain goals on my list. He had a few +1 weapons and missiles and, yet another, one of them silver sabers. Some I had sold to him on prior occasions. But what I'm really looking for is - a wand of death. Shopkeepers always have at least one type of wand on them. And I don't have one of these yet. Well, no luck here. Okay. Stowed some stuff on level 4. Verified the water vial on the altar. Still uncursed. Mmmm... And headed up to that humongous potion shop on level 2... There I picked up all the potions in the pile, there were still over 50 of them, and put them in the bag of holding. I was still stressed or strained. Forget which it was. It's the one that follows burdened, any way. Ponder... Okay. I'll plan another mission, just for this guys' inventory. I still have lots of other things to do. I pulled the potions back out and left them there for now. I'll be back to murder him another time. Off to Marsville... The general store guy was in a tough spot for maximum range BDDD salvo throwing, which is range 12. I busted up some walls in the town, to clear a line of fire, with the pick-axe. Waited for him to step back into the doorway to his shop. Hit "." a few times... BDDD's away! His body made the sound of a muffled thud when he keeled over. Great. Just like the other shopkeeper; he never had a chance to zap a wand at me. Thereby saving the charges on them for me (big grin)! He had no wand of death. Darn... Offered him to Mars, then checked the water vial on the altar. Still uncursed. Mmmm... Oh well. Since I'm here. I'll go see my buddy Izchack... First words out of Izchacks mouth after his initial greeting: "Don't steal from me. I have friends in high places." Don't worry buddy, I told him, while I pulled out a couple potions of booze from the bag (You have no inventory left to steal any ways.). I haven't yet found any coffee for him, either. We had the brews, and talked for while. I don't plan on coming back here too much anymore. So wanted to make absolutely sure of a few things... - You need to take things one at a time. - Don't steal from me. I have friends in high places. - The Valley of the Dead is a gateway to somewhere else. - You may very well need something from this shop in the future. - I don't like poofy coffee. Gimme some colombian expresso instead. - Slow down. Think clearly. - Those who serve their deity will prosper. - Getting the Devteams agreement on anything is difficult. Some great words of wisdom there, Izchack - if I do say so myself (!). Okay. That confirmed everything I already new. I left him a potion of booze and went to my base. Loaded up with all the stuff I wanted from here. Head to base camp level 4 in the Mazes of Menace. Loaded up there and down to base camp level 24. I killed some elves on the way down also. Elves have real good stuff. Elven mithril mail is always worth checking out. Elven sheilds are great. Both for their light weight, and they're worth two off your armor class - even at +0 enchantment. I now have replaced the large sheild with one of these. Elven daggers don't rust. So they're good on rust monsters, puddings, etc. And elven bows allow me to shoot five arrows, as long as they're also elven. But what I really am looking for are; elven arrows. Those are real hard to come by. But I'm getting a decent stock now. I have over 50 assorted elven arrows in "The Cache". Okay. I've arrived. The Caverns, and the Boulders, are both finished. All the remaining things on my 'to do' list involve just the Mazes of Menace. Good, and... Phew! So. Unload, test for cursedness, identify, sort, and store all this booty. Hmmm... I made a startling discovery... Eight of my newly acquired elven arrows are cursed! This is perplexing. I have never before run into something from an elf that has been cursed prior to this! I know. Cause those arrows came from the last elven king - I had just killed him a few levels above. Hobbits sometimes have elven daggers that are cursed. But elves never do... Or did...? I am somewhat concerned... Oh well. I put those in the "Cursed Stuff" container. I'll make sure I have them on me next time I reconcile with Mars. That done. Now it's time to go murder the shopkeeper on level 2, and acquire all his booty. So I only brought what would be necessary. I dumped most of the contents from the bag of holding. In order to be able to come back here, not more encumbered than, burdened. Then down I went... I'm in that humongous potion shop on level two. I've known about this place for such a long time. All the way back to the first day I started this game, I think (see Part 1)! Finally. I'm going to get all these potions. If the remaining fountains in the Mazes of Menace can hold out, and combined with the ones in "The Cache", I have enough vials here for another 80 potions of water! The priestess of Venus will sure get rich off of me - if she can ever get her act together! But I'm not worried. I'll get my money back. I'll murder her after she's done her work too (big grin). Hey! Nothin' personal. It's not my fault. I'm just an instrument of Mars... Anyhoo... Stop day dreaming. Gotta get to work! I put all the potions in the bag. I'm only burdened. Good. Now I go and line up the shopkeeper, all the way at the other end of this huge shop, for a BDDD salvo. But first I drop the bag, so that I'm not burdened for the upcoming fire fight. I'm just about to hit the "t" key, when I get another idea... Don't you all start rolling your eyes (laugh!)! You know? I never dug myself through a shop floor yet. I've teleportated out in the past (prior games), but not zapped a wand of digging down... Hmmm... Did I bring the pick-axe with me? I look in the bag. Yep! I have an even better idea. I'll use that and save a zap from the wand! I'm so thoughtful (big grin)! The shopkeeper wasn't happy when he saw me pull out the pick-axe from the bag. I ignored him, and gleefully started digging down with the pick-axe. Careful Madame. You may fall through. (Or something like that). I stuck my hand out of the pit, and waved bye-bye to him. "a" then "p" then "SHIFT + >" I fell through the hole I dug. The shopkeeper grabbed my backpack as I did! Huh!? WHAT!?! I think some alarm went off too, but that wasn't really what concerned me. So there I am. Now on dungeon level 3. I have only the amulet of reflection (Thank Mars for that, at least.), my worn armor, the two rings I was wearing, the lich lenses, and the pick-axe. Everything else was gone! To make matters worse; the shopkeeper I had just tried to shaft, was now standing right next to me! Oh man... (hang head). I don't feel so smug now! You see, if he's now carrying all my stuff, that means he has; "Stormbringer", a +4 axe, a wand of lightning, a wand of frost, a wand of fire, and 9 BDDD's!! That's not all, he also has a whole slew of my other stuff, but those are what were worrying me the most at this instant in time! Plus, whatever he also had in his possession before he grabbed my backpack! I think I had great cause for worry here (urghh)... Why didn't I just off him when I had the chance? Or at the very least: I should have listened to the Oracle when she said; "digging wands to hasten exits"... But no... I had to try something stupid first (shake head). ** Isn't it just amazing how quickly your mood can swing in this game? ** Okay. Time to do some big time thinking. What to do? Hmmm... There's no way I'll be able to kill him with the pick-axe fast enough. That will require at least 6 hits - probably more. Lots of time for him to use all my stuff on me beforehand. Should I run? How will I get my stuff back if I do? And will I get away, any way? I sure wish there was a grappling option / command in Nethack. Same as the 'game that Nethack is not'. That would really be what I would do now, if faced with the same situation in real life (!). Especially since I'm wearing gauntlets of power. That gives me 25 strength! No way you can use melee, ranged, or wand weaponry when something has jumped you. Especially with such overpowering strength. Hmmm... Maybe if I try to move into him. Like I did a few times in the past with other creatures? That might jostle him some, or at least throw him off balance. And if he's carrying all my stuff - I HOPE THE GAME CONSIDERS HIM TO BE STRESSED! So I tried that: "m" and then "2"... The shopkeeper zapped a wand of lightning. It bounced off of my amulet - went through him - bounced off the wall behind him - and nailed him again. He died. Pheeeew.... I guess that shopkeeper should have paid better attention to the new moon. See what happens when your not careful (wink)? All my stuff was there with his corpse. Except my wand of lightning was missing a charge. Fine. Small price to pay. I got 53 potions totaling 8,100 zorkminds, plus the shopkeepers personal booty, plus a very big lesson learned. All for the paltry cost of a zap from a wand of lightning. Luuuuuucky. I'll gladly pay that price! Okay people. You've just seen what happens. If your gonna try this trick; at least do it in one shot - use a wand of digging! Now then. Let's get all this booty back to the big base camp... Didn't wind up doing all I wanted to do with the upper levels, but I accomplished a lot. I'm happy I got all the potions from that shop on level two. I had been wanting to do that for sooo long now. And I learned some new things while I was at it. The shops were fine for a while. They served me well throughout the game. But I want all the booty from The Mazes of Menace in a central place now - my place (grin)! That way, I don't have to run all over the dungeon for something. Chibougamau, is still around on level 21. I'm going to leave him for now. I'm still using him to get sell prices after I have identified stuff. Back at the big base camp level 24: Check, verify, identify, sort, and store all my stuff. Now I'm gonna have a party with all my friends! Got lots of booze now! My favorite are the cursed ones. They pack a real wallop! Make sure nothings around me with the blindfold... All clear! Now quaff the cursed potion of booze named XXX... Ooph! This tastes like liquid fire! You pass out. You awake with a headache. ** Okay. Save the game. That's enough for tonight's new moon... ** Part 40: Food Fight! -------------------- "Food fight." - John Belushi National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) New Moon is gone (shrug). What's next (on my 'things to do' list)? Hmmm... I'll go see Yeenoghu. He's way at the top of the Mazes of Menace. Finish off a few things with him. Then work my way down the levels - and my list. That will lessen the amount of time I spend running back and forth. I made sure I had the proper tools. And down I went. Oh! Before I get too far into the story here. I'll mention what Ellora's attributes are like now. I quaffed a few more potions of gain ability: Str 18, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 14 That's when I have nothing on. The gauntlets of power increase my strength to 25. I still have the +2 ring of increase strength that puts it at 18/02, but I never use it anymore. And I have a +1 ring of adornment, that I only wear before chatting with someone or something. My hit points are at 124 (!). Don't ask me how that happened. I have no clue (laugh!). And neither have I eaten any more quasit corpses. My power is at 114. That, I got from a blessed potion of gain energy. Since I have the identify spell, I never have enough energy. With all of my best armor (the ones with the most +'s) being worn; my armor class is at -21. So I'm climbing the Mazes of Menace, and when I get to level two, a cream pie flew in my general direction. Oh yea... The fuzz. Forgot about them. How many are there? The blindfold told me about eighteen. Hmmm... I'll handle them latter. I want to do other stuff first. I have to stick to my missions. I keep getting sidetracked lately (laugh!). I went up the stairs to see Yeenoghu. Yeenoghu was more jumpy than usual today. He was teleportating at nearly every forth action (command) I undertook. I assume that the sirens from below were agitating him. Grating on his nerves, so to speak. If that's the case. I'll put off the luck and mirror tests I wanted to perform around him (See Parts 34 and 35). This from; the 'new moon' and, what the Oracle had recently told me. Hokay. Let's go clear the cops. Yeenoghu had teleportated next to me just before I went down the stairs... HEY! What are YOU doing here!? Yeenoghu was standing right next to me - on level three! You can follow me down the stairs now?! That's new... Jubilex never did that (!). Hmmm... Let's run a few tests on this. I went back up. He was there next to me. I went down. So did Yeenoghu. I took a little walk - not too long, as the Kops were closing in. Yeenoghu followed me around. Wow. I think the Oracle was right. Summoning demons may be a good thing. They like being around you. Only problem is, that Yeenoghu sticks to me so much, that he'll eventually get nailed by an errant arrow or BDDD. I don't know how well my luck will be holding out when that happens, but I didn't want to test THAT just yet (laugh!)! Okay, let's get you back upstairs (to where you belong, and are out of the way). Once there, it was very difficult for me to be at the stairs while he wasn't. But eventually I was able to give him the slip, and down I went to battle the bumble squad. The fight was going well. The Keystone Kops, are just as organized as orcs. Just as accurate too. I never got hit by a cream pie in the whole engagement. After a while, I got an idea. I fought in the room with the upstairs to level one. When I'd kill a Kop, I put him in the bag and ran to the altar upstairs to offer him to Mars. Even being burdened, I was in range to the altar. Problem was though, that Yeenoghu, being caught up in all the excitement of seeing all these sacrifices go up in flames (he is a demon after all), wanted to see all the action downstairs too. I told him no. He was my lucky demon lord. I didn't want him to get hurt. Yeenoghu said that if I didn't include him, then he would break the fun for me too. He then teleportated to the altar and prevented me from offering the corpse I had. Well. All right. You can come along. I also didn't feel like going through all the motions of making sure he wasn't next to me. Maybe after the action is over, he'll calm down. So I rationalized it any way (laugh!). So I'd go down and off a Kop. Yeenoghu being right next to me. Cream pies whizzing all around. He was pretty good for such a big guy. He never got hit once either. Then we'd go up and offer the corpse to Mars. Yeenoghu jumping all about me as I would walk to the altar. What a big kid, he was (laugh!). I must admit: It was kind of exciting. Had to be careful. I was using "Stormbringer" a lot. It was good practice for me in both; maintaining concentration to what was happening on the screen, while developing more discipline on the keyboard. After a few Kops, Mars gave me the reconciliation message. I prayed and got another spellbook... Magic mapping! Quickly I got out of my armor to see what my chances were. I think it was 78% fail. Not too good. Fifth level spell and all. I tried it a whole bunch of times. When I finally got it off, I discovered that I had done a real good job here already. Nothing new revealed itself. Good to know. I'll get to magic mapping the dungeon later on. Yet another thing that was added to my 'things to do list'... Back to the fun with the Kops and Yeenoghu... After a few more sacrifices, I got another idea: Can I get more than one demon lord at the same altar? I asked Yeenoghu what he thought. He approved. In fact he got even more excited! Well. There was an elf on this level. Let's give it a try... Blood ran all over the altar. I got frozen in fear as another demon got summoned. But I was eagerly awaiting to see who (or what) else showed up... An incubus. What a let down. I've already seen enough of these guys. This wasn't anything spectacular. Not to me any ways. Only thing different about him was that he was peaceful. Well, since I summoned him, and he's peaceful, let's see what he has to say. I walked over to him and tried to initiate a conversation... Oh Gawd... The incubus charmed me, took off all my clothes, and made love to me right then and there (shake head). And after it all, he had the nerve to demand that I pay him! But, before I could reach for my BDDD's - he teleportated away. I was disgusted. Not cause Yeenoghu was standing right there, watching the whole thing. He's a demon lord after all, he's seen it all. Of that I have no qualms. But the goblin statue was right next to us. And me having to stare into the face of a species that I loathe, just irked me to no end! And too make it all come together - I had lost 8 points off my power! It was now at 106. The unicorn horn didn't fix it either. Maybe now, you can see why my ire was up... The blindfold revealed that the incubus was now clear on the other side of the level. I would have to go through a whole bunch of one square wide corridors in order to get at him. With Yeenoghu around, that would take forever. So I called the incubus "Death Row". He's been condemned to death. It's just a matter of time before I execute him... I put my clothes back on, and went back to getting Kop corpses for Mars. Yeenoghu seemed just as pleased - and excited. Somewhere during the brawl. I picked up a few cream pies and got another idea: Let's have a food fight! I lobbed the pies back at the Kops. Cream pies were flying back and forth. Yeenoghu standing amongst it all (laugh!). I reached into the bag and pulled out a few more food items. Of these, I lobbed as well. Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Lots of messages. Back and forth, this went on till I got tired of it and went back to using selective; arrow firing, BDDD throwing, and "Stormbringer" slashing. Once the fight ended and all corpses, that could be brought up, were offered; I started rooting through all the booty. Amongst it all; I found a statue of a Keystone Kop (?). Hmmm... Guess I missed a message or two during the food fight... There were a few funny messages that appeared in the multitude. I should have paid better attention. But after you see the same stuff so often, it just becomes a reflex to hit the "enter" key when you see "-- more --" appear... Great. Now I have something else to investigate (groan.)... Finish up here. Collect the booty. Head to base camp level four to verify and sort through all these new items I have. I wanted to be alone while doing this. Yeenoghu would just be getting in my way. He doesn't like boring stuff like booty identification. There; I identified a blessed +3 rubber hose. I never noticed this type of weapon before (?). Well, if I did, I don't remember it any way. Can I use it? I look in the 'enhance' screen. It isn't listed there (?). Hmmm... I assume it is one handed. Yep. Okay. Let's try it out for a while. After all, it IS blessed! ... Well. I tried it on all the (non dangerous) monsters on the way back down to base camp level 24. It (the rubber hose), is a real killer weapon! It croaks everything so fast - for a melee weapon that is. It seems to work even better than the +4 axe I identified a while back - my melee weapon with the largest amount of +'s. And the whip weapon skill has been recently flagged with a "*". So it's in that weapon class, eh? That's funny (laugh!)! Okay. I need to test something just recently discovered. I pulled out a few different identified eggs from the "Fridge", as well as, some other comestibles. Made sure I had some other important items, a few hundred zorkminds, and then headed up to Chibougamau's general store on level 21. Besides Izchak, he's the only other surviving shopkeeper... Once inside, I picked up two cream pies and a pear. Forget what the value was, it was peanuts any way. Removed the ring of slow digestion, and put on the one of teleport control. Pointed the wand of teleportation at my chest, and zapped it. The spot I chose to go to was right next to a door in a huge central room. Good choice! Cause about 25 keystone Kops had materialized in the very same room! Now I was able to retreat into the corridor, while being able to face the Kops one at a time, as they filed into the corridor. They eventually spread out throughout the entire dungeon level, trying to find alternate unblocked paths to me, but I wanted a few test subjects in a controlled environment. As long as I could drop the few in front of me to clear a path to the gang in the room, where it was lit, I would be fine. On those I chucked various objects, and noted their affects on them. Mostly potions, some food items, a few tools, and what not. Finally I came to a very important item - an uncursed cockatrice egg. Now I watched carefully, this time, for what happened: Splat! I hit him. He started to slow down. Then he turned into a statue! Okay... Boy oh boy. It's really a good thing that I stopped eating eggs a long time ago. Many games ago, actually. I can just imagine what would happen if I would have ate something like that! I used to feed them to Sirius. Now I may very well not do so in the future either... I have one uncursed cockatrice egg left. I'll save it for an emergency. Next time I need to literally stop something in it's tracks! Only thing that bothers me about all my experiments with throwing stuff is; that I can't seem to hit anything with corpses... Next thing was to finish dispatching all these Kops, and face Chibougamau. I knew that he'd be carrying at least one wand. I was kind of hoping that it wasn't one of death. Cause I still liked having him around, and didn't want to kill him yet. Got lucky - for him - he was using a wand of striking. So I maneuvered myself next to him and paid him off. He wasn't looking for blood - too much, and went back to his shop. I got a whole bunch more food. Namely; cream pies. I put them in the "Fridge", of course. And guess what? The blue jelly corpse is still there! Okay. A few more things learned and accomplished today. Things are going well. Next I'll go see the priestess of Venus. I think I realized a flaw in my method with her... Part 41: Mary Jane ------------------ ** Hmmm... I made a mistake in reporting my characters constitution attribute in the previous chapter (Part 40). That should have been Con 16, not 18. Since having acquired the identify spell; I went kind of crazy and played waaaay ahead (laugh!). I'm now in the process of trying to crank out all the chapters I can, so that I can get back to playing again. I haven't been proof reading the last few too well before publishing them. Sorry. ** Here's what I've come up with in my quest to getting water blessed. Or, I should say; here's the flaw I think I found. First some data: Mercury - lawful god. Venus - neutral god. Mars - chaotic god. In the game that Nethack is not; good clerics were able to cure wounds and bless water/food, while evil clerics were able to cause wounds and curse water/food. They couldn't do the opposite. Since Nethack only recognizes the horizontal axis of alignments (no good-neutral-evil vertical axis); it would be logical to conclude that: Mercury will bless. Venus will either unbless or uncurse, if even that should be possible. Mars will curse. Since Venus is a neutral god; then her priestesses will uncurse / unbless stuff. If the altars themselves can convert water, then; a chaotic one will curse it, a neutral one will either unbless or uncurse it, and a lawful one will bless it. Therefore, she (the priestess of Venus) can't bless my vials of uncursed water. Now then, If I'm correct; I feel kind of stupid for having desecrated both lawful altars and converted them to the darkness of chaotica... Any way. Nethack follows some of the stuff from the game that Nethack is not, but it always confused me how (or why) it doesn't use the good/evil axis of things. Well. Let's put the theory to test. I'll bring her the two vials of cursed water I have. I will NOT risk my only vial of blessed water on such a test. Just in case I am correct... So I went up to level 14 and exchanged the two uncursed vials with two cursed ones on the altar. Waited for her to move onto the same square as the altar. When she did, I gave her another 2,002 zorkminds. Waited for her to move away again. And... They were still cursed! Aaargh! Okay priestess. You gots another 1,000 clock ticks to get your act together (mumble grumble). I wonder if Mars will bless my armor if I wield it while I pray to him...? I'll put that on the 'things to do' list too. Cause it looks like I'm not getting any closer to getting water blessed... Next! My knowledge of the identify spell is starting to grow faint. I have to hurry and find all my remaining caches in order to get every object I possibly can identified. I better put the top of the Mazes of Menace on hold, concentrate on finishing the re-exploration of the middle on down. Magic mapping will have to wait. I can only get one or two spells off, and I'm out of power with that spell any ways. Down at the fortress, level 28. I'm identifying some piles of armor and weapons. Forgot to bring a scroll of earth for the water outside the front door. But I did remember to bring "Dragonbane". Gonna test it on that blue dragon I left here in one of the back rooms... Eight hits! It took eight hits to kill it! Yeach. I'm not impressed. I can kill them with 6 BDDD's. That's two rounds. Maybe that would be even less now. I didn't have gauntlets of power last time I was slaying dragons with BDDD's. But I had them just on while wielding "Dragonbane" (!). Unless gauntlets of power don't add anything to damage...? Even so. It still does not compare to BDDD's. Forget it. I'm stowing this thing in "The Cache". It will keep "Orcrist" company. I'll make do with "Sting" and "Stormbringer", as artifact melee weapons for now. On the way back up... I saw an incubus on the titan's level. It was walking on water. Just like the way the master mindflayer had done. I'll keep this discovery in mind... Dungeon level 26: You hear a rushing noise nearby. You hear a rushing noise nearby. You hear someone counting money. Air elemental alert! Lich alert! I found neither. But I did find something in a little two square by two square room again. Some kind of mummy. Yeah that was it. A gnome mummy I think it was. Cause when I looked into the room after I had pick-axed my way into it - there was no gold on the floor! Then, before I could enter to check it out completely; a green dragon, some kind of jelly, and a cockatrice showed up on my radar screen. I figured I better handle these things right away. Don't want to be cornered here. As a Ranger, I like having options to maneuver around the place. The room will wait a few minutes. So while I went to dispatch these intruders, the gnome mummy slipped out of the room and wandered off somewhere. By the way; I didn't use "Dragonbane" on the dragon. It went down in two rounds to BDDD salvos. I seem to remember that it took 5 (!), two went sailing on. I killed the other potential threats handily enough, and went back. So I was in the little room, searching 12 times in each square for a secret door. When this mauve and blue thing appears in a wall! Suddenly one of the Vault's guards enters! "Hello stranger, who are you?" On this I put a lot of thought. The game was asking me to do something before anything else. I couldn't do the look, or check my inventory, or nothing. Not till I answered this question. I hate that. Being forced into something where I have no control, or access to any of my resource screens. So I typed in the following: Mary Jane "I don't know you." "Please follow me." Okay... (shrug) I can now access the different screens. I did the ";" AND then the "/" command(s). The thing was a vault gaurd. Combined with what he said above, I got to thinking that these little lich money rooms are probably called vaults. And when I see - You hear the footsteps of a Gaurd on patrol - that means it's this guy that I'm now following. I just had a skirmish with some other creatures. So all my stuff was already set for battle mode. I waited for him to get a few steps ahead of me... BDDD's away! He got angry. An alarm went off. And he disappeared. I thought to myself: Oh boy! Maybe these guys are like the Keystone Kops. I'll have a whole bunch more booty to identify soon! How many are coming? I put on the blindfold... Only one. Looked like the same guy also (disappointment). Oh well. I picked my battle ground, and soon enough he came into range. Two rounds later he dropped. When I was rooting through his stuff, I discovered a wand (Don't remember what kind. But it was one that I already had a whole bunch of.)! This is great! These guys carry wands. Next time I hear one of their footsteps, I'll see if I can make them appear. And then the gnome mummy came sauntering on by. After I destroyed it, there was a pile of gold with the mummy wrapping (laugh!)! So it must have collected it. Only dwarves and gnomes do that. Their mummy forms as well, I see. Base camp level 24: You hear the footsteps of a guard on patrol. Okay. Let's see if I can get him to come out... I went to the little room. It had already been dug out (see Part 28). I started searching each square 12 times. Soon enough a vault guard showed up! He asked me for my name again. I told him "Mary Jane". He told me to follow him. I said: Sure! A few clock ticks later, I was rooting through his stuff. Yep. He was carrying a wand too! This is a great discovery. I know of at least five more levels where I hear these sounds. Even though I'm out of shopkeepers - I may very well get a wand of death yet (big grin)! And on... I've found three more rooms. Killed five more guards. Some in already discovered rooms. Alarms have been set off. But only one guard ever shows up. Some guards had accused me of stealing the money from the empty rooms. So I started keeping the zorkminds in the bag of holding. Then they even figured that out. (shrug) They all died the same. He he. Soon this "Mary Jane" person is going to be on the 'Mazes of Menace most wanted list' - HA! I'm heading back down to base camp level 24. My bag is heavy with loot and booty. I see that I've been sidetracked from my mission plan(s) again... (laugh!) Chuckles (the gremlin) is no longer here (?). I can't see him on the level with the blindfold no more... After identifying, sorting, and stowing all the loot; I noticed that I had a BDDD missing! There was only eight in my inventory! Urgh... Now where could I have failed to pick it up? I hate this, I've been playing this game for so long and, I hardly ever fail to account for my BDDD's after using them. Grrr... ** Also: I've been putting off learning how to do the auto-pickup command properly. One of the r.g.r.n. deities has been very helpful here, but when I look at all the computer code stuff involved... Yuch. I'm going to have to learn soon, though. I go to my notes, and move that task several notches further up on my 'things to do' list... ** Okay. Last time I remember having all nine on me for sure; was when I fought the green dragon, and company, back on level 26. I really don't feel like having to walk through all those entire levels looking for it again. And what if some cretin of a monster picked it up? If that's the case, it could be anywhere now. Hmmm... I grabbed some potions of object detection from "The Cache", and then headed down. I have like - over 20 of them! May as well put them to use, eh? No!? (laugh!) Well... I finally found it on level 21! The last level I had come back from since making the discovery of having lost it in the first place. I should have headed up. Then worked my way down. Would have saved me some potions. Ah well. But here's something that made it all worth while... Four piles of zorkminds were found in a corner of the map. Now we all know what that means, eh? Another potential guard carrying a potential wand of death (grin)! Or so I thought... Once having pick-axed my way to it, I stepped onto the first square and, my elf trap detection ability kicked in. I discovered one of those portal trap things (!). It looked the exact same as the one on level 16. The one that leads to the Home levels. Hmmm... I picked up the gold that was on the other three squares, and started searching for secret doors. Your friendly neighborhood vault guard showed up, and started interrogating me (Mary Jane) again. I was looking to see if he would say anything different. Since there was this portal present in the money room here. Nope, he didn't. So we went through the motions on haggling over whether the money I had was mine or not. He still had the same tune, as the other vault guards. So I offed him and collected his stuff. Hoping that other guards would show up, again cause of the portal thing being present. But none did. Okay... Something new to figure out. The only thing that came to mind, was this "magic memory vault" that the Oracle had mentioned. This being with these so called "vault" guards that kept on appearing. And they only came after I did some searching ("s" command). But there was no "ad aerium" markings anywhere on the floor here...? Hmmm... Well. I'll hold off for now. I won't step onto it. I've caught other "guard on patrol footsteps" on lower levels. There may very well be other such portals. I have the magic mapping spell now too. I'll be able to find any more of these money rooms, one way or the other, eventually. If there is another portal there; it should lead to an easier place than here. After all, they are on lower levels, no? Let's heed Izchak's advice, and my general strategy. I just have to do some thinking, be patient, and play smart. I've been playing for a long time, and come a long way, so far this game. No use being hasty now... I made a note of the portals location and started heading back. Just before the downstairs, I picked up a mimic on the radar. Great! Another opportunity to eliminate something on my 'to do list'. Hope it leaves a corpse... I couldn't resist the temptation to mimic a pile of gold (!?)... (?!) The next action I tried to do ("#monster"), got me back to normal form. Oh well. I got the giant marshmallow eating experiment out of my system now (laugh!). Few other things got done after this. Mostly; corpse, melee weapon, and missile firing / throwing tests. Some auto-pickup tinkering, and a lot of guide reading (again). The Mazes of Menace have now been mapped all the way to, and including, level 28 - but not magic mapped. That will be for another day. 95% (estimated) of all the stuff I want, is now concentrated at base camp level 24. The identify spell is now twisted in my mind. I'll hold off on rereading that spellbook for a little while. I'll finish collecting some stuff, and do some other things with my power - like magic map (!). The blue jelly corpse is still holding out in the "Fridge". I've since added a rothe corpse in there. I want to see how long that stays preserved. Being meat (I assume), and all. I got that idea from a meatball I made a while back. I've brought some statues to base camp here (level 24), from the other levels. Have six now. The place is getting crowded (laugh!). All my figurines are here too. Yeenoghu is going to have to be a big boy. Any ways, he has that incubus called Death Row to keep him company while I'm not there. I have a good feeling that another one of my ideas is going to eventually work out... Oh yea. I met another wumpus. Orion should really reevaluate their dangerousness... Part 42: A Milestone Reached ---------------------------- The kelp frond is delicious! Got that out of the way. Finally. Now I can take that off of the list... That reminds me of how my lembas wafers tasted. I still have one of my original ones, by the way. It's in the "Fridge". Along with all my other food items. Which have recently been bolstered by no less than - 50 cream pies (laugh!)! Have to remember that trick of generating Keystone Kops. They can provide me with extra food, should I "ever" run low. Hmmm... I wonder how many times I'll be able to pay off ol' Chibougamau...? Baaah. I'll save that for later. Much later. Too many things to do still. Like... I want to play with all my newly identified stuff! I want to enchant my mithril to +10! I want to bless my elven arrows - so that I can start using them again. I want to try some of these potions and spellbooks. Just to name a few... But I keep thinking that something else might become available from either; a newly discovered room, or a monster (which drops something after I off it). Then I'll make another discovery, and that may affect my decision on what (and how), to use next. Ah well. Let's just keep plugging away at this 'things to do list'... I've since stowed the blessed +3 rubber hose in the bag of holding. It's neat. I think it works even better than the uncursed +4 ax. Probably cause of the blessing. And I kind of figure that it won't rust. But I've basically gone back to using missiles to drop monsters. Above the ghost level is one thing. The monsters are pretty wimpy up there. But around these parts, where I've been passing much time lately, they're a little meaner. That should soothe some of you, that have been gasping, when I've been engaging ochre jellies up close. - Next! I want to try and see if I can fashion armor out of these dragon scale thingies. Dragon scale mail takes 9 off of my armor class; so says the guide. And the Oracle has talked about "the resourceful fashioning armor from scales". So I'm gonna see which scales are worth the most. Cause I only have so many enchant armor scrolls - which is what I figure I should be using to fashion the scales. Yea. I know what I just said about playing with stuff. But this has been on my 'things to do list' for a while. I want to cross it off (wink). I figure that the different colors must mean something in the game. Or else they wouldn't have gone through the trouble of classifying them separately. So basing on what I remember about dragons, from the game that Nethack is not and from what they're breadth attacks are in this game... Red = fire Green = poison gas blue = lightning That's all the different kinds I have. I think that I'm now resistant to all of these - or I have a damn good saving throw any ways. So that's why I'm running the sell price test. Well... Chibougamau is willing to pay 250 zorkminds for all the different colors I have. So, as far as I can tell, they're all about the same. Saw something quite amusing coming back from the shop. On the way back down, a succubus kept on zapping a wand of teleportation on herself. I figure it was cause I hit her with 4 blessed arrows. When it was her turn to move... Zap! And whenever I got within range 8 of her... Zap! Oh well. I don't need another wand of teleportation. Hers must be nearly spent any ways. She's zapped it at least 6 times (laugh!). Okay then - as I sit on the chest named "The Cache" at base camp level 24 - think and: Ponder... My favorite color is blue. Ellora's favorite color is green (Being a Ranger, and "Home" is the ancestral forest full of trees.). And Mars' favorite color is red (God of war and all.)! So, you see, we have a big dilemma. Who to satisfy? Hmmm... Turns out we had a second set of green dragon scales. So that decides it. Fate has chimed in. It shall be the green! Just as well. If Ellora's picture will be affected by wearing another color besides the one her picture currently is; I would be always looking for where she is on the screen. Now let's see if my assumptions were correct... As you read the scroll it disappears. Your set of green dragon scales merges and hardens! Yep. I figured correctly - this time. That was one of the easiest Oracle consultations to interpret and implement, for me any ways (laugh!). And it (dragon mail) does take 9 off of my armor class! My picture on the screen is still green too (!). Okay. That took care of a few things on the ol' list (grin). We'll be on the way to the Valley of the Dead by July for sure now (laugh!)!! - Next! I tried wielding my new dragon armor when I prayed. Hoping that Mars might bless it. But I got his protection instead. That attempt, at blessing stuff, is still inconclusive... - Next! Our mascot; Slinky the lizard, has also mysteriously disappeared... First Chuckles, and now Slinky... (sad face) I hope that there aren't any mystery monsters roaming about. I took a walk around the level. Although there is a wandering purple worm on the loose; nothing out of the ordinary was picked up on the radar. And even though this level (24) has been magic mapped, as well as, object detected - I still haven't figured out where that monster generator is at. Nor; how it gets activated. On a whim, I collect all the rocks from that shattered mystery statue, from so long ago (see Part 9), and pile them in a corner of the ex-temple to Mars here. I'll see if I can reconstruct it when I relearn the stone to flesh spell. Maybe that will give me a clue (shrug)... - Next! I'm going to magic map all the levels. Well I'll try to before the spell grows faint. Want to see what booty I've missed. Also want to see if there's another portal (or portals) on the lower levels in these vault / lich / money counting rooms. Besides, I'll surely get more wands off of these vault guards... But before doing so: I quaff my remaining potions of gain ability. The higher my intelligence attribute, the easier I can get that spell off. And at 78% fail - I can use all the help I can get (laugh!)! Quaff. Quaff. Quaff. Quaff. Quaff. Quaff. Okay! I'm at 20 intelligence! Magic Mapping is at 49% fail with just my speed boots and robe on. Now I'll have a chance to get it done before... Well. Let's see how it goes before I make a prediction, eh? I'll probably get sidetracked again (laugh!)! I said bye to my friends here. This is going to take me a while. Of this: I'm sure of! ... Okay. While Ellora is off magic mapping the dungeon: I'm going to explain a few things, that you might be asking yourselves, or wondering about... First thing to consider is; how to best protect my character and what she is about to accomplish. Well, actually... The first thing, amongst everything - is not to die (laugh!)! But what I'm trying to say is: Since I'm now so smart (IN: 20), and about to magic map the Mazes of Menace; I absolutely want to make sure no mindflayer attacks get through. That would ruin everything. Not to mention how utterly discouraged I would become... So now I'm on "super safe monster dispatching" mode - not that I haven't been careful, so far. But I have this "extra" bit of added care when dealing with wandering / generated monsters. To put it all in perspective, here's what could potentially happen... I'm sauntering through the dungeon. Happily mapping the levels. I meet, say, a lizard. I figure that since it's only a lizard, I'll take this opportunity to practice the, oh let's say, the rubber hose. Now I'm next to it (the lizard). Just before I go to bonk it, it changes into a lich and disintegrates my cloak of displacement. Yikes! It was a chameleon. I didn't check for that. Oh no. Since I have the rubber hose wielded, I don't want to take an extra action to either exchange or wield something else. So: I step away from it, to line it up for some BDDD chucking. It has moved to either an off lined square, or teleportated. Now I can't kill it this round. It summons a horde of soldier ants around me. I throw some BDDD's at the nearest one. Four launch, the first two killing the soldier ant, the last two sailing on and hitting the peaceful ogre king in the distance. The ogre king gets angry and zaps a wand of create monster. One of the new monsters is a rust monster. And on, and on... Yea. Your saying; maybe a little extreme of an example. Well, I beg to differ. In my experience - NOT IN NETHACK!! So here's what I basically do concerning wandering monsters now... Ellora's New Monster Killing Technique / Procedure / Check List, or Whatever. - Do the look (";" command). - Verify for friendly (peaceful) status. If yes, then perhaps initiate conversation (#chat). - Make sure it's not a chameleon. If it is; then kill it immediately before it turns into something I don't want to face. Pick up and/or dispose of corpse. So that pet doesn't eat it. - If familiar monster and easily defeated, then either practice with a weapon or try some experiment. - If familiar monster and recognized as dangerous, then drop on sight. Else, be careful if attempting to lure it to an altar. - If an unknown type of monster, then try and assess its potential threat. Do the encyclopedia ("/" command). Count how many times it moves compared to you, etc. But if anything funny starts to happen - drop on sight. - If any of the following; gnome lord, bugbear, hill giant, (all) were types, (all) centaur types, shopkeeper, (all) soldier types, priestess, nazgul, or vault guard, then be careful of a wand attack. - If any of the following; titan, lich, demi lich, then drop on sight. Cursing attack is up to range 8. Disintegration attack is at range one. Don't let any get next to you! - If mindflayer or master mindflayer, then drop on sight using irresistible force and/or whatever means at disposal. DO NOT - under any circumstance, allow it to get next to you! Okay. So that's "basically" it. Now bear in mind that this is for how my current character is. Meaning with all her present stuff; equipment, armor, attributes, skill levels, etc. And my method is continuously refined as I discover new things about different opponents. Ellora has; a ring of warning, the Longbow of Diana, blessed "Stormbringer", amulet of reflection, blessed +3 arrows, 9 BDDD's, poisoned +1 arrows, blessed +2 spetum, cloak of displacement, boots of speed, gauntlets of power, wand of teleportation, wand of fire, wand of frost, wand of lightning, scroll of teleportation, unicorn horn, and a blindfold. These all directly pertain to her combat, defensive, and detection capabilities. All of the above is at hand - not in the bag (besides the spetum). So she's pretty versatile. She's fast, can cause a lot of damage, has a virtual arsenal of ranged weapons, and can fire or throw in salvos. Not only that, but she has good defenses too. Armor class is below -20 (unless I try to cast a spell). Has displacement out to a range of two. As far as I can tell, she is not affected by; cold, electricity, poison, fire, and sleep. Most ills can be cured in one action too. If worse comes to worse: She can also escape out of there in the blink of an eye! Almost never - does a monster land a hit on me. And when it does, it's cause I let it. Usually because I can't be bothered to step away. But only from wimpy things like; lizards, ants, orcs, unicorns, etc. Most of the time I don't even lose any hit points from the hit. For those times that I do; it's like one - yes only one - hit point (!). I've become very good at counting the action steps I can take while fighting something. Before it has a chance to swipe at me - I then step back, or away. Often times the creature will swipe at one of my displaced images also. Then, I know that I have even more action steps at my disposal, in order to efficiently dispatch it. I even do this when engaging at range (!). I like shooting from maximum range, and try to maintain that, by stepping back, when a monster tries to close with me. Mostly so that it does not use charges on its wands, and/or in case it wants to curse my stuff (like liches or titans). I've been compiling a ranged weapon table, which I keep next to me on the computer desk, for all my weapons. I'll publish it soon. Still have a few more entries to verify. The whole idea behind my tactics can be summed up by this: Hurt them while keeping them from hurting you. Works great (wink)! ... I got 8 of the upper levels and up to Marsville, in the caverns, magic mapped... ** Then while I was away, someone was passing the vacuum cleaner in my office. The game was still on when the nozzle disturbed the wires. This caused the computer to go kablooie! When I got back, I saw the computer was no longer on. Had to reconnect the jostled wires and, fearing the worst, booted it up. Had to go through the motions of the computer telling me about an; improper shutdown sequence. Clicking here and there whether I wanted to repair certain errors that had occurred, etc. I was developing a sinking feeling about the status of all my recent work in the game. Then, a little box appeared. It said that it detected a game in progress and asked if I wanted to restore it from something or other. I clicked "yes", and Ellora was on the stairs to the last level I remembered from before. Everything seemed to be okay. Just had to redo some things on the current level. But all the previous actions (magic mapping, items picked up, etc.) were still saved. Pheeeew! I was very much relieved. For a few moments, I thought that the vacuum cleaner could have been as destructive to the game as a mindflayer! ** Back to magic mapping and clearing out unbeknownst areas... Tried something different when I heard the footsteps of a guard on patrol. I used "Ellora" instead of "Mary Jane", when discovered by vault guards, in some newly found little vault rooms, here and there. There was no noticeable difference in their actions. They still said that they didn't know me, accused me of taking the gold, etc. Vault guards are stupid. They always walk in front of me. Let's me have the initiative; whereby I shoot them in the back (grin). If "I" were escorting somebody away - I would make "them" walk ahead, while "I" followed from behind... Met a pyrolisk. Remember that first encounter? Way back when? I got him with a BDDD salvo. But not before two potions of extra healing bubbled and blew up on me (sad face). Man. They have a great ranged attack. Wish the wands of fire worked the same... Then again, maybe not. A bugbear would then be quite a formidable opponent (!). Discovered that dragon scale mail doesn't interfere with my spell casting failure percentage. Well, not green dragon mail any way. That's pretty good. Now I can have that, the speed boots, and the robe while casting. Not that I'm not careful when I do. I still verify that there are no wandering monsters nearby before I disrobe for spell casting. There was a virtual plethora of monsters on the ghost level to kill. There were tons of S's. Some @'s, C's, O's, H's E's, and a Y. He he. I find it funny looking at letters running all over the place instead of pictures. Found a new piece of armor: A leather jacket. Never seen one before in Nethack. Saw a giant spider. Pulled "Sting" out of the bag and approached it... (drum roll) Four hits to kill it! (laugh!) What a disappointment. Well... I'm gonna keep it with me (in the bag). I won't stow it like "Orcrist" and "Dragonbane". After all, it's the first gift I got from Mars... (wink - and then - roll eyes) Found quite a few sealed closets - one by one rooms with no door nor secret door. Had to pick-axe my way into them. Most contained scrolls of teleportation. Sometimes a potion or a ring too. On dungeon level 22, a cockatrice left a corpse. This was exactly what I was looking for - for a while now! I immediately ran to base camp level 24 with it, and put its corpse in the "Fridge". This is the missing ingredient that I require for that idea I had been alluding to lately... (thumbs up!) The blue jelly corpse is still there. So is the rothe corpse. So now I know, or am assuming, that an ice box can preserve other things than just food. For quite a while too. That blue jelly corpse has been there for many thousands - yes thousands - of clock ticks!! I try to bury my desire to experiment with my idea right away. Must maintain my discipline. I go back up and keep plugging away with the magic mapping. Only a few levels left... Okay and, all right! It's done! I've magic mapped all the Mazes of Menace from levels 1 - 26 inclusive! And the Caverns from levels 3 - 6 inclusive! Managed to get all that done before the spell conked out too (thumbs up!). I found lots of little money vault rooms. But I never found another portal trap like the one on level 21. ** I'll publish what the Mazes of Menace now look like, in a later chapter. ** I've now achieved a significant event, considering my history in playing Nethack. A milestone, so to speak. I have uncovered / discovered / explored a huge part of the Mazes of Menace. Never accomplished so much before. Being methodical and meticulous has paid off, for me. I now have a better idea how the game generates the levels and what they hold, both in monsters and booty. There is much to discover in this game called Nethack. Especially when some discoveries lead to still other discoveries! I, also, have so many different items positively identified. My discoveries screen is huge! Often, I will hit the "\" key. Just to look and gawk; both in amazement and wonder (laugh!)!. I feel a great sense of pride. I'm quite satisfied with myself. Should something happen to Ellora in the near future, I would consider this game quite a success. Albeit, now that she is so powerful, I would be somewhat disappointed... Perhaps now, you can better understand why I absolutely loathe the mindflayer species. Especially; that nasty one, that caught me by surprise, when it was invisible... There is still no sign of Slinky... I fear he's gone for good (sad face). A little later on; Cuss was killed due to an accident (sad face). I was trying to dispatch a tough monster. Think it was a titanothere. Cuss was behind it in a corridor. I tried hard not to hurt him from overthrowing BDDD's. Those just kill things too fast sometimes. So I was whittling it down with the "n" prefix while firing arrows. Thought I had it down to just two more... But who knows? The art of finesse firing is completely done with ones own "sixth sense". As things turned out; only one was required. The additional arrow went sailing on and hit Cuss, who subsequently lost his temper. It would be his final undoing. I could not have an angry Grey-elf on the same level as my main base camp. So with a heavy heart - I quickly finished him off. Mercifully, only one salvo of BDDD's was required. I decided not to offer his corpse. Still wanted to accomplish some things, without having a summoned demon (lord) getting in my way. I'll get a demon lord friend here later on. Only good thing that came about his death though - was that he had a scroll of charm monster (!). Now I can go get that panther and have a pet again! I'm all enthusiastic! I nearly forgot to bring a leash. Only remembered when I was already two levels up and on my way (laugh!). Turned back and retrieved one from the "Tools". I then fished out a wand of speed monster from "The Cache". While I was at it, I pulled out some tripe rations and a meat ball from the "Fridge". Checked my inventory one last time, and headed back up in the Mazes of Menace. Destination: Marsville. Part 43: It Worked! ------------------- Made it without any major incidents. Since my main goal is to acquire the panther as a pet - not having to worry about mapping or cataloguing things, I'm putting some serious effort into the auto pickup experiments. Still pretty rough, and not yet comfortable with it being on continuously. Trying to fine tune the configuration is proving to be quite a task - to me. But this will prove to be vital, should I get into another big battle with many monsters all around me. And considering what's waiting for me in the Valley of the Dead (dungeon level 29 in the Mazes of Menace), it (another big battle) is almost guaranteed (laugh!)! Now then. Unlock and open the door to the abandoned shop. Step inside... Woah! She sure attacks a lot. She's all over me (laugh!). Good. I like her ferocity (grin). I take the scroll out of the bag, and read it while she's trying to maul me... Got her! A little heart has appeared next to her picture. Now I'll give her a name... Next action will be to tell her that; mine is the hand that feeds her. I throw a tripe ration at her... Phiona catches a tripe ration. Phiona eats a tripe ration. Now step next to her and slip the leash around her neck. Next is to zap her with this wand of speed monster... Zap! And finally; what happens when I chat with her...? Phiona snarls. Ooooh... I like that. Makes her sound fierce. Okay! I have a new pet: A black panther! (smile of satisfaction) Coming back through the levels with a pet sure brings back memories of my previous pets. I almost forgot some of the habits that one needs with an animal in tow. The first; is that you have to be somewhat patient. But it gives you a chance to enjoy the scenery a little bit. I don't like pulling on the leash unless it's an emergency. This will all be compounded when I also get a gremlin pet - which is my next, should I acquire another scroll of charm monster. The walk back through most of the Mazes of Menace will be good. I'll be studying how Phiona attacks, and what her patterns are like. Also, which type of monster she will engage, or not. What she will eat, and what she turns up her nose at. This is good for me too. It's kind of therapeutic. I have friends in the dungeon, but Phiona is more than this - she's a companion. Hopefully I will be able to care for her well. The Mazes of Menace can be a hazardous place. My mind starts to drift towards the unfortunate demise of Sirius, Missy Prissy, Burp, and Grunt... But I quickly catch those thoughts and drive them from my mind. Oh look over there. There's a dwarf lord. Want to go play Phiona? Phiona snarled... Guess what?! We found Chuckles on level ten!? (A peaceful gremlin called Chuckles) How did he get here...? Hmmm... When I went to chat with him, I made sure not to let phiona get too close. Yep. It's ol' Chuckles all right. Still laughs uncontrollably at whatever I say (laugh!). Around level 20, I killed a troll. Had another polearm fighting contest. I won, again (laugh!). Then Phiona ate the corpse. Good. That's an easy way of getting rid of their corpses, if one doesn't want it to revive. I'm starting to like having Phiona around, more and more (smile). When we arrived at base camp level 24, I dumped all the accumulated junk from my recent romp through the dungeon on the altar to Mars. I can't identify everything. I haven't reread the spellbook yet. Still waiting to finish some other things that will surely take time. I want to save the amount of time to be able to cast the spell when I'll be breaking new ground in the Mazes of Menace. For now, I'm just piling all these objects here. Only thing that I'm worried about, is if a monster should materialize and grab some wands that are here. But I'll get to that soon. I still want to see how tough a monster Phiona will engage. So I keep proceeding down through the levels with her... We're on the titans level now. Phiona is killing gremlins left and right. Strange thing though; she does not eat any of their corpses. Same as Burp was doing. Must be something about them that tastes "real" bad. Like, if you all remember, Burp ate anything - even Jubilex (laugh!)! Damn. I keep forgetting to bring a scroll of earth with me... I was trying and testing a few things out. Like; how does levitating with a pet on a leash affect movement over water, how do I get the pet from island to island, etc. Sometimes Phiona would just appear next to me, while I moved between land squares separated by water squares. Other times not. Half way through the level, we turned around. Then four fire giants materialized on a small island. Great! An opportunity to do some experiments again. Giants carry boulders! I levitated to another island, where I could land and line them up for some long range missile fire. Giants don't throw boulders beyond a range of 8, so I made sure I always stayed beyond this distance. Employing finesse firing; I managed to drop them all - without any missiles landing in water squares. Now I levitated over to where they had once stood, to try and push some of their boulders into water squares. First thing I discovered: You can't push a boulder while levitating (laugh!)! Second thing: Boulders fill in open water squares in the exact same manner, as the swamp room water squares on dungeon level 20. Okay good. Now that that has been confirmed: Looks like I'll be eventually able to retrieve my BDDD's that I lost here a while back. Only thing is; to remember to bring that scroll of earth (wink). Back at base camp level 24: A few wandering monsters had crept into the level while we were gone. I put Phiona in the only empty room with restricted access, and locked the doors (there were three). With that purple worm still on the loose, and the disappearance of both Chuckles and slinky, I wasn't taking no chances (!). First thing I concentrated on was a nazgul. As always, it had nice loot; a knife, a long sword, a ring, a potion, and a wand. Next was that purple worm. Through some patience, I managed to lure it onto the same square as the altar. It moved off before I could BDDD salvo it to death in the first round. These things seem to have lots of hit points. So three salvos were eventually required. But I never chucked any at it, until I had lured it back onto the altar square. No way I could lift it to it - that was for sure (laugh!)! When it expired, I offered it to Mars. This was the whole point of the exercise in killing it there. As fate would have it, or he was really impressed at getting a big purple worm; Mars wanted to talk (got the reconciliation message). I gazed towards the large box named "Cursed Stuff", sitting within it's alcove. It's been such a long time since Mars has uncursed any objects for me. Should I walk over there? Should I go through all the motions again? After I have looted it and amassed all its contents that I can possibly hold. Then praying and finding out that he's not interested in such an act. I'll have to put it all back in disappointment. No. I won't do that now. I still have a blessed scroll of remove curse. That will work when I really need a ton of items uncursed. I'll instead see if Mars feels like doing something else. Something that I don't have the means of doing myself. I'll try again, and see if he will bless some armor for me. So, in the square where I was presently standing, I took off my speed boots and wielded them with my sword arm (Meaning; not the one that holds a shield. Nethack does not differentiate between "right" or "left" arm.). Perhaps Mars will bless these - just as he has already blessed my BDDD's. Then I prayed... Well, as things turned out, Mars wasn't interested in blessing things either (laugh!). Instead he granted me his protection, again. Oh well. I started to put my boots back on. There were other creatures starting to close in on the ex-temple to Mars. That room with the monster generator was producing creatures again. Looking at the screen, verifying what exactly was moving where, I was finishing up my conversation with my God: Thanks any way Mars. At least your pleased with my progress. Well, so he said. I think? Let me just take another look to make sure... Hey... What is this I see? Two potions on the altar glowed blue?! I stared at the screen while sitting transfixed at the computer. My mind was racing. Which potions? Why would they do that? How? I did the look here command (":"). Amongst all of the items here, two were described as being; holy water! My mind sprang to "alert". Clarity was required. Trying to make sense of this. The water potions I had left on the altars, in the upper levels of the dungeon were now here. I had collected them when I was magic mapping. While I was giving the Mazes of Menace its final clean up. I had just left them in the pile of junk here, on the altar, with all the rest of the stuff waiting to be; identified, sorted, and stowed. I had just prayed in this very same square. These vials glowed blue in the same action step as I got Mars' protection. Hmmm... I'm certain that I prayed while having had vials of water in my inventory in the past. They never became blessed. Or did they? Could I have never noticed this in the past? No way. I would have caught something like that - that's for sure. But still... I had noticed, and now recall, something funny when I was at the altar on level four. Not too late after I had gone to the fountain of blessed water. And considering how I just tried to bless my speed boots - WHY DIDN'T I EVER THINK OF DOING THAT WHILE WIELDING VIALS OF WATER? (slap + shake head) Okay. There's something here. Amongst all of this. I just can't quite make it all fit together. I'm on the verge of something - I can taste it! I have to try and repeat this - somehow. Has to be done in a controlled environment. Too many things happening on the screen with these monsters coming in. I better take care of that first. Any way; I have lots of time before I can pray to Mars again. A few skirmishes with sundry monsters and some offerings later... A throng of Uruk-hai formed up in one corner of the level. Far away before they would be close to the altar. Now; you should all know me by now: I love playing - errr I mean - fighting with orcs (grin). Especially these guys. Poisoned crude arrows coming up! I walked over to one of my piles. The one containing all my unidentified polearms. Picked up all I could carry and hurried off to where these dumb orcs were bumbling about. You see. Another thing I noticed while wearing the cloak of displacement. Monsters get so confused on which way to take - especially when there's a mob of them. So they just mill all about and, often times, take very long approach paths. Best to just go over to them, kill one off and put its corpse in the bag. Then you come back and offer it. Saves time, you know. So I got to their area. Sure enough, these guys were even less organized than the Keystone Kops. I threw (not dropped) the polearms in their direction. There now. Let them figure out which one is cursed or not (wink). Also, when you get inside their zone (range of one) - they can't hurt you. (diabolical laughter from a female elf + sheer cries of terror from many orcs) After much fun, and quite a few laughs, the battle drew to a close. Booty included a wonder whistle. I named it "Phiona" and whistled my pet panther over. Feast time, my dear. Phiona ate two Uruk-hai corpses. So that you have even more of an idea what it's like, hanging around at my main base camp, in the ex-temple to Mars, I have figured how ghosts operate. You see... Ghosts appearing have now become a regular occurrence. I used to be scared - the game tells me that I'm frozen in fear - but I've now kind of grown used to them. They only appear when I enter the room. And only the room with the altar. No where else. If I want to exit the room - then no problem. And ghosts, like all other monsters, never materialize in a doorway. Nor in a section of the wall that has been dug out - what I call an alcove. Stepping into a doorway, entrance, or alcove is okay. You can then step back into the room with no problem. But once you have actually left the room's outer boundaries, then you can expect to maybe generate one when re-entering it. I've done this a few times now, just to make sure (laugh!). Now ghosts are slow - reeaaal slow. Step away and dispatch with missile weaponry. Or count the moves it gets versus you, and use melee weaponry. Ellora can get at least 4 smacks at one before it can hit her. Sometimes I've seen six, depending if I get some free clock ticks or not. You don't need blessed or magical weapons to affect them either. I used to think so, but that has been disproved now. However - blessed and enchanted weaponry works better, don't get me wrong (wink). In fact, besides the BDDD, the blessed +3 rubber hose is the best thing to use on them. Believe it or not - it works even better than "Stormbringer"!! I still don't know what their touch does, though. I'm not willing to go THAT far in my experiments (wink + laugh!). No ghost touches me - still and yet! So with all that's now known about these things; they are excellent monsters to practice weapon skills on. Especially ranged weapon skills. If I ever get into such a situation in a future game with a magic user; I'll use them as easy monsters to practice with my offensive spells. Just having finished sorting and classifying the booty into the different piles, a "?" showed up on my warning radar. Went to inspect and saw that it was a kobold mummy. Hmmm... That is an easy monster. Let's make sure it isn't a chameleon... It wasn't. Hmmm... I think I'll try out that big idea I've been trying to put together lately... I let the kobold mummy approach my position. Meanwhile; I went to the "Fridge", pulled out the cockatrice corpse, and wielded it. When the little collection of rags got near the altar - I smacked it. It turned into a statue. Yep. So far so good. The cockatrice corpse still worked after all this time! I picked up the new statue, and put it along the wall with the others that were already in the room. Adding it to the collection, that I had already carried here, from other levels in the dungeon. Now then. Let's try and take all of this one step further... I went to "The Cache" and pulled out a bag of tricks. Took a few steps towards the wall of statues and... Apply the bag. A monster popped out next to me. Smack! A statue of a giant ant, was added to the collection. That was easy. Apply the bag. A monster popped out next to me. Smack! A statue of a scorpion, was added to the collection. WOW! This is great! The "Fridge" can preserve the cockatrice corpse. When a monster wanders by, I can turn it into a statue. Then whenever I want to check up on how Mars is feeling - I can just flesh to stone a specimen to offer him!! What a great system I thought up and improvised!!! I'm going to create a reserve pool of sacrifices! Apply the bag. A monster popped out next to me. Smack! A statue of a lurker above, was added to the collection. Ouf. That one was kind of heavy to carry over. Apply the bag. A monster popped out next to me. Smack! A statue of a soldier ant, was added to the collection. This is so much fun (big grin)! Apply the bag. A monster popped out next to me. Smack! A statue of a guardian naga - could not be lifted (!). Hmmm... It's kind of in an awkward spot. I have to try and move it. I dropped all my excess stuff. Still couldn't lift it. I dropped everything except for what I was wearing. Still couldn't lift it (!). I dropped everything except for the gauntlets of power, which I was wearing. Or else my strength drops to 18. I STILL couldn't lift it! Damn. It's not in a good spot. In fact - it's right next to the altar of Mars. I don't like the way it looks on the screen (sad face). Okay. It will be one of the first ones I'll flesh to stone. That's all (shrug). Now that I know it's so heavy, I'll know to make sure it's on the same square as the altar, before I kill it. Fine. I can live with that for now. I picked up all my stuff and made sure all was properly wielded, and worn again. Now then. Since I just had that experience; I'll stand on the same square as the altar. That way, if say, a baculithrium should pop out - I won't turn it into a statue. Instead I'll kill it on the same square as the altar. Which won't be so hard to lure it to - as I'm standing right on it. I'll just take a step back, and when it steps forward to get next to me, hopefully it will pick the same square as the altar is on. I've done this before with big heavy monsters. Just requires a little patience, that's all. Man. Am I smart or what? Yet again: I have anticipated a potential problem, and improvised a solution. Sometimes I even amaze myself (big grin)! I reach into the bag of tricks once more... Apply the bag. A monster popped out next to me. My eyes suddenly grew wide. My mind gasped in terror. My fingers froze at the keyboard. It was mauve with a pink head and wearing a blue robe. Master mindflayer. Part 44: Exclamations --------------------- Ripley: OK, what about temperature? What happens if we change it? Ash: Let's try it. Most animals retreat from fire, yes? Dallas: Fire, yeah. From the movie - Alien (1979) If you've ever seen that film, then you have an idea what kind of scenes were flashing through my mind at this point. Whenever one of the crewman on the ship, Nostromos, would turn around... And the camera would then show the creature... With the slime and goop dripping from it... And the stalk with teeth extruding from the orifice of its mouth... The sheer look of terror gripping the actors faces... Impending doom paralyzing them with fear... That's exactly how I felt now, while sitting at the computer desk... That's why I mentioned what ghosts did to my character, in the preceding chapter (Part 43). Perhaps they grip, Ellora, in fear and paralyze her. But a mindflayer, let alone a master mindflayer, has that kind of effect on me!! Easy now... Stay calm. Try and think. Every single monster I pulled out of the bag or, for that matter, that I created by a wand or scroll of create monster; has never moved before me. So I have the initiative... Let's just be extremely careful before hitting any keys. And I will make absolute certain to look at the keyboard before pressing any keys! First thing is to go over everything in my mind, before I undertake ANY action... Do I want this thing to be a statue? Do I want this thing to be decorating my main base camp? Do I even want to see; "a statue of a master mindflayer" every time I do the look command on it? Do I want to take the chance that it may one day come to life - as other statues sometimes do? The same answer, to all of the above questions, kept on exploding in my head: NO F***IN' WAY! Okay then. It will be killed. But first; I immediately need to be NOT next to it! I fought off the temptation to zap it - or myself - with the wand of teleportation. I did not want to take the chance - no matter how small - that it, or I, would teleport next to one another again (!). I must take advantage of my initiative this round. I'll move. I'll move away. I'll move directly away while maintaining a direct line of fire. I reviewed this decision, and subsequent course of likely events, in my mind once more. Yep. It's fine. It's safe. Okay... Look at keyboard. Make sure finger is positioned over the "4" key. Press once... The message screen filled up! My heart skipped a beat. Forcing myself to stay calm, although my body was shaking, I read what had just transpired. Six tentacle attacks on displaced images!! Pheeeeeew... Okay. The initial shock has subsided - somewhat. But I feel my heart pounding all the way into my throat. The monster went after a displaced image. It thought that I was still standing next to it. Okay. Okay. Okay... Stop trembling. I have to drop this thing. I want to take another step back. Put another square of distance between it and me. Something is quickly welling up from within the depths of my mind: BUT WAIT! There's all this junk on the altar to Mars! It is standing right next to it. Monsters move and pick up things in the same action step! What if it moves onto the altar square and picks up some of the things there!? Like that unknown zinc wand!? What if it's a wand of death!? I know that there's also some wands of teleportation there! What if it picks up one of those!? Then zaps it and is then standing next to me again!? What about the mystery rings!? The mystery scrolls!? Monsters don't have to identify scrolls - they always know what they are! Oh God... NO! I have to drop it now. Can't take the chance of moving again. I already have it in line of fire. I hit "i", to make absolute certain that everything is as it should be. Paying close attention that my BDDD's are classified as "d". They always are - but I was under extreme stress here. Wasn't trusting anything - nor taking any perceived chances with anything! There was no question on what to use. Nothing in my arsenal packs more punch than a BDDD. Hope I get more than one off... I pressed "t". Looked at the message area. Then pressed "d". Looked at the message area. Then finally "6". FOUR LAUNCHED! I looked at all the results individually. All were followed by a "!". (More on this particular observation in a latter part in the story.) Good! Needless to say, it was still standing. I wasn't surprised. I remember - all too well - how tough these things are (See Part 24). No response came from it. No retaliatory attacks. No movement. I have a free round on it! "t" then "d" then "6". THREE MORE LAUNCHED! It fell on the first one that impacted with it! (pause and let out a long sigh of relief...) I'm still shaking... I went to the "Fridge" and put the cockatrice corpse back in there. Next I went to put back the bag of tricks in "The Cache". I've lost all desire to continue with; this now ABSOLUTELY INSANE idea that I had devised. It nearly ruined everything I've accomplished so far... I kicked the corpse away. Towards the bottom of the ex-temple to Mars. To an area where there is nothing else near it. I emptied the large box I named "Garbage". It was the one that had the least amount of items in it. Dumped all of its contents in a pile on the floor. I amassed all the items on the altar and put that in the box, for now... Now I'm standing on the same square as the altar. I feel like collapsing. I did not whistle Phiona over. This thing is too disgusting for me to even consider letting my pet eat. I hit the "." key, slowly, until the corpse rotted away. I'm exhausted. I saved the game and exited. ... Two days later, and after much absorption, reflection, and contemplation of the latest events; I fired up the game... Well well. Let's not let those valuable lessons be forgotten. No matter how good things look - or seem to be going - disaster lurks behind every corner! Do not forget this. Imprint it in your mind. Make a note, then tape it to your computer monitor! (groan) I feel old... Hokee dokey... I better put that "big bright idea" on the "hold off for now unless you want a heart attack" list. Although the; ice box + cockatrice corpse + monster + stone to flesh = a reserve pool of offerings... It is certainly a potential recipe to a disaster. I thought I had considered everything, but most obviously - I had not. Better to stick to some easier things for now. That idea involves too many things. Too many variables in the equation. There's an old saying which goes: "The best idea is a simple one." I think I'm going to stick with that for a while, now (roll eyes). Now then. Considering what I had recently written in "Part 42: A Milestone Reached", I feel extra bad. There I went into quite a long explanation on how careful I was. Looking at what just transpired with my 'big bright idea', which culminated to the master mindflayer being summoned, I feel quite embarrassed. But such is the case when one is reporting what actually happens... And, although I mentioned it somewhere in the story already, I'll say it again: "When I first started this game, I never thought that I'd be writing all this down for a public viewing." (laugh!) I still don't like the way that guardian naga statue looks in the layout of my base camp on the screen. I wonder if, by chance, Mort would be able to pick it up? I don't seem to recall that friendly monsters pick up anything though (?). Where is everybody any ways? I don the blindfold and start going around the map with the look command. Hmmm... There are now two storm giants on the level. I better make sure that I know which one is Mort, and whether the new one is friendly or not... Okay. They're both friendly (peaceful). I called the new one "Larry". Hopefully one will come around the area soon. If they do pick up stuff - hope it's not one of the chests or the "Fridge" (laugh!)! My scan of the level revealed a few more wandering monsters. I whistled over Phiona and went after them. The usual slaughter and a couple of offerings were made. Collected the loot and sorted it into the proper piles. Now that the level had been cleaned up, I went to "The Cache" and pulled out a scroll of earth. I'm going to cross something else off my 'list of things to do'. We were almost on the downstairs, when a nurse and an orc captain suddenly appeared on the radar. (groan) I don't feel like this now. I just got organized for an expedition. Doesn't it always happen that way? Okay. We'll take care of these latest intruders and then get back on our way. Which one do you want Phiona? Phiona jumped the orc captain. Fine. I'll suck the life outa the nurse then. Exchange. Wield "Stormbringer". Been a while since I used the 'great big black life-draining sanguinary battle-blade' any way. I still like reading what it does in the message area (grin)! So while Phiona ripped out the orc captain's throat, I skewered the nurse. Phiona ate her corpse. I offered mine to Mars... Your sacrifice is consumed in a burst of flame! An object appears at your feet! The voice of Mars booms out: "Use my gift wisely!" Oh boy! Another gift from Mars! It's been a long time since I got one this way. What is it this time? A longsword named "Firebrand". Hmmm... That rings a bell... I've seen these before in prior games... I think? But I've been playing this particular game so long now, that my memory is starting to get fuzzy (laugh!). Any way, considering the classes I've played, longswords aren't weapons I can normally use - nor have used. I remember "Frostbrand", from the game that Nethack is not, though. It was one of the best artifacts in the game. It was +3 normally, however it was +6 versus fire using / dwelling creatures. So then perhaps "Firebrand would be the same, except that its +6 would be versus cold using / dwelling creatures? Let's see what the "/" command has to say... Hmmm... It does not appear in the 'cyclopedia. I went through the usual motions of invoking, applying, rubbing, etc. Nothing. But then again, I kind of expected that (laugh!). Okaaay... Then we all know what this means, eh? I Need Some Test Subjects!!! (grin) We scoured the immediate dungeon levels... The fiery blade burns the leocrotta! The fiery blade burns the leocrotta! The leocrotta misses. The leocrotta misses. The leocrotta misses. The leocrotta misses. The leocrotta bites! The leocrotta misses. The fiery blade burns the leocrotta! You kill the leocrotta! Phiona eats a leocrotta corpse. I got bit for 2 points (shrug). But that's the chance you take when your standing at melee range. But hey... I like that "fiery blade burns" part in the message (grin)! The fiery blade burns the elf zombie! The fiery blade burns the elf zombie! You destroy the elf zombie! The fiery blade burns the wood golem! The fiery blade burns the wood golem! The fiery blade burns the wood golem! The fiery blade burns the wood golem! You destroy the wood golem! The fiery blade hits the flesh golem. The fiery blade hits the flesh golem. The fiery blade hits the flesh golem. The flesh golem turns to flee! The fiery blade hits the flesh golem. You destroy the flesh golem! Phiona eats a flesh golem corpse. Notice that there was no "burns" here. Instead it was "hits". Also notice the lack of "!". The fiery blade burns the ice vortex! The fiery blade burns the ice vortex! You kill the ice vortex! Two hits to kill an ice vortex. Not bad... The fiery blade burns the snake! "x" The black blade draws the life from the snake! The snake turns to flee! "n1td" You throw one dagger named BDDD. You kill the snake! That was to compare it with my other weapons. But what surprised me the most here, was how tough that snake was! The fiery blade burns the floating eye! "x" The black blade draws the life from the floating eye! You kill the floating eye! The fiery blade burns the glass golem! "x" The black blade draws the life from the glass golem! "n1td" You throw one dagger named BDDD. You kill the glass golem! Darn. It went down too fast. I need something else that's a little tougher. To show you how my BDDD's do... The fiery blade burns the umber hulk! "x" The black blade draws the life from the umber hulk! "n1td" You throw one dagger named BDDD. The dagger named BDDD hits the umber hulk! "n1td" You throw one dagger named BDDD. You kill the umber hulk! That was better. Nope; I didn't get confused. I timed my movements compared to his exactly, while I waited around a corner. I got lucky with the clock ticks, I guess. One more monster, and I'll only single fire BDDD's... "n1td" You throw 1 dagger named BDDD. The dagger named BDDD hits the invisible black light! "n1td" You throw 1 dagger named BDDD. The dagger named BDDD hits the invisible black light! "n1td" You throw 1 dagger named BDDD. You kill the invisible black light! Mmmkay... A few things that stand out here... I killed a few other monsters. I don't have all the examples with me. I don't know how to "copy + paste" from the message screen. So I have to type them out here when they appear. But... - Notice that "Firebrand" does not always burn every creature. I've hit other types of creatures also. It burns most - but not all. However, it does burn all the ones that I've both encountered and associate as a NON "fire using / dwelling" type. So then perhaps, it is similar to how I've correlated it, from what I know, with a similar artifact in the game that Nethack is not. - "Stormbringer" also does not automatically "draw the life from" every creature that I connect with it. Not quite sure yet. But it seems that creatures which are undead; meaning they have no more life to steal, are not affected. - Now look at the "!", which come right after the; hit result sentences. Those exclamation marks do not always appear. This is something that I noticed way back from my first ever game of Nethack. I've been watching for those, and observing their happenings, through all my games. I have no data, nor been keeping notes on this particular phenomena. That's too much work - even for me (laugh!)! But here's my theory on what they mean: 1). If the hit would cause great damage (and/or a 'critical hit' in the game that Nethack is not), then a "!" will appear. 2). If the hit caused maximum or more damage than it would normally be able to (Example: According to the guide; a dagger would do similar dammage as the same weapon in the game that Nethack is not. Thus from 1 to 4 points. If that dagger would roll a "4" then it qualifies. Also; if that same dagger were enchanted to a +3 or better, then it would do 1 to 4 points + 3 points on top. So in essence 4 to 7 points. Any result would be equal to or more than maximum normal damage.), then a "!" will appear. 3). If a special attack is released and/or indicated (draws the life, burns), then a "!" will appear. 4). If a blessed weapon / missile / projectile connects with an undead creature, then a "!" will appear. Take a note of these: My blessed +6 daggers named BDDD, always receive a "!". The cursed -4 arrows, never receive a "!". The blessed +3 rubber hose, always receives a "!". The uncursed +4 axe, mostly receives a "!" (here, I'm assuming an axe does 1-6). Any way. This is probably not too interesting to some of you. But for some reason, this is fascinating to me. Hmmm... That sounds like something Spock would say (laugh!)! I see that we got sidetracked again... Okay. Off to the Titans level. Let's see if we can get those BDDD's out of the water... Part 45: That's it! ------------------- I turned auto pickup off before doing any levitating over all the water on the Titan's level. I dunno. Water is still kind of scary to me. I've been leery of it ever since that incident with them snow boots (see Part 10). I never feel totally comfortable while I'm levitating across large expanses like here. I always arrange my flight path to pass over as many land squares as possible. Just in case... I'm on the other side now. Trying to remember where I was standing exactly when I battled the nazgul with one leg caught in that beartrap... Okay. I was here. And I threw the BDDD's in this direction. So they ended up over there. Yeah. I remember it now. I gaze at the sea that lies between me and where I want to get to. I count all the water squares necessary to fill, in order to create a path to my destination. I then count the amount necessary to extend a land bridge to the nearest island. If this works, I'll eventually make a land bridge that spans all the water between both stairs. Ten. I need ten boulders. Darn. A scroll of earth only gives me nine. There's one extra boulder on the level. But it's on another island. Hmmm... I wonder... I levitated over to it. Stood on the opposite side of the boulder from where I was hoping it would end up. I then zapped it with a wand of teleportation. It disappeared. Where to? I couldn't see from where I was. I took a little jaunt around the island. Looking around the walls that were blocking my sighting range. Nope. It's not out in the big open area. Either it's in one of the rooms, or it got teleportated to the bottom of the sea. I headed back towards the island with all the dark rooms. Lucky me (grin). It was just inside the door from the water. Okay. Now to figure out where to position myself so that when all the boulders appear; I can best achieve my goal... Much pondering... Okay. I levitated to the spot and rumbled down nine boulders from the ceiling. Good thing I was wearing a helmet (wink)! Believe it or not; the above thinking and subsequent moving of the boulders process, took me over an hour to do! It reminded me of how I had to figure out the puzzles on the Boulders levels (ha ha)! But it was necessary in order to get everything just right, cause I had just the exact amount in order to do what I wanted. Good thing I was able to levitate and land in otherwise normally inaccessible areas! I felt quite satisfied with myself; in having accomplished this (smile). Now. For what we've all been waiting for... I pulled out the ol' pick-axe from the bag and dug down. I dug a pit and found two daggers named BDDD! All right! It worked! And they weren't even rusted, as I had feared they would be. So now I have eleven BDDD's (big thumbs up!)! Well done. Mission accomplished. And I also have a little land bridge to an island. Less levitating over water is now required to cross the level. Well. Let's head back... You hear the sound of a wolf howling at the moon. Oh look. A werewolf. I landed on an adjoining island and counted the range. It was 13. So I took a step towards it and launched a BDDD salvo. One flew. No risk involved. BDDD maximum range is 12. There's no chance that they'll land in water, in case I should throw too many to kill it. The werewolf took a step back. Now its back is up against water. So I took another step towards it and launched a BDDD salvo. One flew. Hrmph. Not too lucky with the amount launching. But hey! If I'm going to be unlucky with the amount launched - it may as well be now, while it doesn't really matter (laugh!)! Okay. My turn to do an action again. I unthinkingly did what I had done the two previous turns. I took a step towards it and launched a BDDD salvo. Four flew. The second killed it, the next two landed in the water one square beyond it... (thud) That was the sound of my head hitting the computer desk. I can't believe what I just did!?! Aaarrrrrgh! There's no more boulders on this level. Crap! I'm going to have to use up another scroll of earth. But I had only brought one with me... Crap! Crap! Crap! I'm angry. I scan the level for an outlet to my frustrations. I know that if I keep playing while being emotionally upset, that that's just asking for trouble... There's a Grey-elf near the upstairs. Well, it's his unlucky day. He's gonna serve as my release... A short and swift battle ensued. Whereby I shamelessly murdered the Grey-elf by striking him with "Firebrand". I wanted my victim to see how callous I felt, even to his pleas of mercy. That's why I did the dirty deed from up close. There. I feel better - a little. While Phiona ate his corpse, I shifted through the booty. Amongst it; I picked up a burnt elven shield!? Hmmm... I didn't see him read a scroll of fire. So this must have been caused by... "Firebrand"? Neat-O! I like this fiery blade (grin)! It should be good in conjunction with the black blade. Considering what I have postulated in the previous chapter (Part 44), it should burn the undeads that "Stormbringer" isn't effective against. Thanks again Mars (smile)! I feel much better now (laugh!)! I'll come back another time with a scroll of earth to retrieve my BDDD's. Again... Back upstairs. Base camp level 24. I discovered that some of that Grey-elfs possessions were cursed. Hmmm.... That disproves my earlier conclusion that all elf booty is never cursed (Forget where I wrote that now. Ellora's story is starting to get long to sift through, and find what and where I had previously talked about something. But I do remember mentioning that, at least once. And probably twice.) Next. I want to repeat the holy water making procedure. I have to know how to do it properly. Must repeat everything I did previously, but with a few extra vials. Has enough time passed by? Is Mars ready to talk? A spotted jelly corpse, scrounged from the level below, told me he was. Okay good. Now to make sure I cover all the bases... I put two vials of water on the altar. Kept two on me in my backpack. And yet another two, I wielded in my sword hand. While physically being in the same square as the altar to Mars... "#pray" blah-blah-blah... Mars was well pleased... blah-blah-blah... Something about an object appearing at my feet... Two potions on the altar glowed light blue!! Okay! I have it figured out! I think. You have to have the water potions on the altar while praying in the same square. Also, I am assuming, your god has to be happy with you too. I can make blessed holy water! Yippee! I glanced at the spellbook. I think it was restore ability. I threw it into the chest with the rest. I have like 20 spellbooks now. Back in "Part 29: A Plain Spellbook?", I thought it was a great and wondrous thing. But now, it's more like run of the mill (laugh!). Okay. Now that I (or Mars) can make water blessed; the surviving priestess of Venus has now outlived her usefulness. I have a new mission (Also some things that will get crossed off of my 'things to do' list.): Murder the priestess of Venus on level 14, then convert the altar to chaotica! I can hardly wait! I like doing stuff like that (big grin)! Gleefully, I prepare my equipment for the upcoming expedition... Dungeon level 14, Mazes of Menace: I went to the priestess of Venus and chatted. I wanted to refuse her donation request - just too piss her off (grin). That done... I dug out a straight corridor with the pick-axe, for BDDD salvo fire into the temple of Venus. I went to my selected spot, 12 squares from where the priestess would be. There I waited for her to move into my line of fire... She never, ever moved there? Odd. Was she expecting this? Had the dungeon snitches informed her that she was next on my 'hit list'? Okay. I dug another path, parallel to the first one. This second one, was directly lined up with the altar. I was walking to where I wanted to be, at range 12, but she moved into line of fire when I had reached range ten. Not wanting to bother to have to wait for her later, I took advantage of the opportunity now. Come to think of it; why should I have to kill her from range 12? I checked my ranged weapon charts. Yep. Priestesses spell range only reaches out to a range of eight. (shrug) Besides, what could go wrong? BDDD's away! You throw three daggers named BDDD. The priest of Venus gets angry! The 1st dagger named BDDD hits the priest of Venus! The 2nd dagger named BDDD hits the priest of Venus! The 3rd dagger named BDDD hits the priest of Venus! The priest of Venus casts a spell! The priest of Venus summons insects around your displaced image! !!! First thing that took me by surprise; was that this wasn't a priestess (?). It was a priest! First time I ever met one (or noticed this) in Nethack. Don't ask me how or why - it's just the way it turned out (laugh!). And why would Venus, of all gods, want a male as one of her clerics? For some reason, this question really bothered me (and still kind of does)... Second thing; I forgot about my cloak of displacement. I had already noticed that it creates images of me out to a range of two. And that it affected melee and ranged combat - but this was the first time that I saw it affect spell combat (at least that I've noticed)! Third thing was; that although I was less than worried about these insects being summoned concerning my own personal safety - the center of the spell had taken effect right on top of Phiona's position! She was surrounded by 8 insects! I did the look on every single one of them, of course. What concerned me the most was those soldier ants. They have poisonous bites! I did not know if Phiona was poison resistant or not. I strongly suspected the latter. Oh great... I hate the times that I find myself in this situation in Nethack. There are so many things to always be considering (roll eyes). Through my lack of forethought - or to put it more bluntly - through my being lazy; I've now endangered my pet (groan). I forgot about the priest. He's not moving beyond range two of the altar, any way. I'll kill him later. I have to go save Phiona! I took a step down towards her. The mass of insects were off lined to ranged fire. So I had to close to the constrained area. As I did so - an umber hulk suddenly appeared on the radar (!). Oh Gawd... Just what I need. Welcome to one of "those potentially deteriorating situations in Nethack" (see what I wrote in Part 42). Hurriedly, I started dispatching insects. Phiona was in full attack mode. Lashing at the monsters around her. This made me even more concerned, as she kept on picking on soldier ants. Somewhere in the mess of messages, I saw something about the priest healing himself. Good for you! I yelled into the monitor. Just you wait till I finish here and get back to you. Threaten my poor pet panther, eh? Your gonna die hard... (sinister leer) I tried to pick off the soldier ants myself. Willingly, I exposed myself to, taking swipes from the non-poisonous insects. The sooner they're gone, the easier I'll breathe for her sake. I had managed to hack my way through some of them. Now I was standing next to my companion. The umber hulk is now at range 6. Confusion gaze attack range. But he still has to get a line of sight on me. I stopped and considered. What would be the worst thing that could soon happen? - The umber hulk gets into the clear and confuses me. - Now I can't risk hitting or throwing anything. Lest I risk hurting my companion. - The priest sends another horde of insects at us. - I won't have enough action steps to cure my ill, and then protect Phiona. - Phiona gets poisoned and dies. - All this guilt will be on my head. Okay. Decision has been made. I won't let that happen. I zapped Phiona with the wand of teleportation. Poof. She disappeared. Now I don't have to worry. As things turned out, the umber hulk did not confuse me till 3 rounds later. But hey! I was still glad that I had done what I did to Phiona. Better safe than sorry. And at least I was able to think clearly enough, and take precautions ahead of time. Not when my options would be limited - should I have continued on. While staying confused, I finished off the insects. Then I applied the unicorn horn, and slew the umber hulk with BDDD's. Donned the blindfold, to check up on what Phiona was up to. Halfway from my position, and closing. Good girl. Picked up my missiles, and quickly sifted through some booty. Now I know that when I'm wearing a cloak of displacement, to stand at least out to a range of 11 from priests or priestesses. That suited me just fine. I had plans for this priest. Range 11 was just fine by me (evil smirk)... I move to the designated range and prepared some equipment... Range 11 from the priest of Venus. He's standing smack on the same square as the altar... "tS2" The black blade draws the life from the Priest of Venus! "tF2" The fiery blade burns the Priest of Venus! "n1td2" You throw one dagger named BDDD. The dagger named BDDD hits the Priest of Venus! "n1td2" You throw one dagger named BDDD. The dagger named BDDD hits the Priest of Venus! "n1td2" You throw one dagger named BDDD. You kill the Priest of Venus! There. That will teach you to mess with me. I was firing only one BDDD at a time, in order to prolong his agony... Next was to convert the altar over. Surprisingly, I failed on the first attempt! I had even used the umber hulk corpse to do it! I was kind of taken aback. But I was determined to get all the altars in the mazes of Menace to belong to Mars. So I tried again using the body of the priest. Maybe that will get things going... It worked! Now there are no other; temples, altars, priests, or priestesses in the entire Mazes of Menace - except for those belonging to MY god: Mars. Hope your satisfied big guy (grin). I found that nearly all of the priest of Venus' stuff was cursed (laugh!) Dunno what the story was with this guy. Obviously wasn't getting along with his god too good (lots of laughs!)... Set up a large box and a chest in here. It will serve as a minor base camp, should I ever need it. Now I have three. Levels 4, 14, and 24. Kind of curious, eh? Maybe my next one will be on level 34? Didn't I once plan on getting to level 34...? (scan Ellora's story) Yep! Look in Part 12 (laugh!). Hmmm... Maybe the gods of numerology have already decided my fate?! Okay. Let's wrap things up here, and get back to the main base camp. I crossed off several things on my 'things to do list' here. Threw Phiona a tripe ration, and headed back down. Mission well accomplished (smile of satisfaction)... Killed that succubus around level 20 or something. Picked up the wand of teleportation. I'll be curious to see if any charges are left when I get it identified. I named it "pop out babe" so that I'd recognize it amongst the pile I'm starting to amass... Hokay... What's next? Oh yeah. May as well go back and fish out them BDDD's - again (roll eyes). I have only one scroll of earth left. Darn. I also want to plug up a crossing into the fortress on level 28. Hmmm... Let me think a moment here... Ponder... Okay. I think I have another idea. Let's see if it works out... Dungeon level 26: I pull out the pick-axe and chop a path from a boulder to the downstairs. Sometimes when you drop something on a downstairs, it falls to the level below. Why not a boulder? Like it must be heavy enough. Worth a try, no? At least it is to me (laugh!)! So I pushed it over to the stairs and... There it sat. Hmmm... I tried again several times. Even seeing if it would work from different angles of approach. No show. Darn. Oh well. That didn't work (sad face)... We went down to the Titans level. I turned auto pick up off again. Water you know... Levitated to the island where the werewolf had fooled me (wink). I only needed one boulder, so took quite a lot of time to: Contemplate where I would be placing the eight extra ones... Pulled the chin strap tight on my helmet, and rumbled down nine boulders. Pushed the first one to the water square where my BDDD's were located. The boulder sunk out of sight!? What...? That never happened before (?). What's the story with this? Pushed another one into the same spot. It filled up the water this time. Just as I had expected that the first one should have done. I felt a "little" apprehensive. Had a tingling in the back of my mind that something was somewhat amiss... But after getting the message that it was "now safe to walk here", I put those feelings aside. Pulled out the pick-axe and dug my way down. You dig a pit. The water rushes in! You sink like a rock! You can't swim! You managed to crawl out! Pheeew! That was close! (Or something like that. I didn't write it down, cause I nearly had a heart attack. So I was not thinking about doing something as mundane as that.) (pause to collect my wits) Woah... I almost died. I nearly got killed. Like I said before in "Part 10: Snow Boots"... That is "exactly the type of message" I get just before the one that asks if I want all my possessions identified!! Gawd almighty... I need a break. ** Save game. Went to take a break. Took a long one... ** Next day; I fired up the game. I gazed at the square I had dug, in retrieving my BDDD's earlier, half way across the map. Why had it not worked here...? Oh. the heck with it. I'm not going to risk my life again for just two BDDD's. I had done some thinking. In fact; I did a lot of thinking... Came to a conclusion concerning a new direction: Well that's it! After; nearly starving to death (Part 33), achieving so much (Part 42), almost ruining my game with the master mindflayer (Parts 43 - 44), and just recently nearly drowning - not to mention my cat or the vacuum cleaner - I've decided to do something I've been wanting to do for sooo long... I'm going to play with all my stuff! I better do it now - before something happens to my character and/or the game. Before I should get killed somehow. Part of me says to keep plugging away at my 'things to do list'. But after the recent events, another part says that I may never reach the end of it! So I'm going to try all them potions, scrolls, bless all my stuff, and use my wishes. I don't care about waiting for the "best" time. I'm going to do it while I still "have" time. I want to see what's possible for my character. How powerful she can become with suped-up equipment, etc. Maybe I'll be able to use Ellora as a gauge to future Nethack games (if I ever get this one finished)... So I checked my inventory. Yep. My scroll of teleportaion has been wiped, and my potion of extra healing has been diluted. Also, my favorite, and best, helmet is now rusted. (sad face) That's kind of funny. I've hardly ever used any potions of healing in this game. I can only remember of two occasions. The big fight in the last room at the boulders, and the extremely big fight at the fortress. So I've used two. Besides that - never. But I've lost potions many times, like when the pyrolisk micro waved me, and other accidents. I think it shows how careful I've been throughout the game. Made it back to base camp level 24. Good. Imagine if I would have died to something on the way back here from the Titan's level (wink). Okay... (rub hands together) What to start with? Hmmm... Part 46: Maps and Tables ------------------------ As previously promised; here are some of my notes concerning the game with Ellora. I was going to publish these a little later, but I'm kind of hung up on a few things presently. Mostly dealing with which direction I'll be soon taking with Ellora. Till then, I'll publish these. It will fill the void for now (wink). First are how I keep notes on what the Mazes of Menace look like now, and where things are. The levels are represented the same way they appear on my status screen. Hence, DL = Dungeon Level. In some areas of the Mazes of Menace, this is the same (like in the Caverns), other times not (like in the Home area). But I've kept the same designation of the individual areas. Any way, I'm sure those of you who've seen this know what I mean. On each level, I write the important features and/or landmarks. Most are self explanatory. The 2 square by 2 square rooms, where zorkminds were found; I call them vaults. This is because when you 'hear the footsteps of a guard on patrol', you can then start searching for him within these rooms. And soon enough a 'vault guard' appears. They're good for some armor and such, but most importantly they carry wands. So I use these vault guards as a source of these. On the square in the opposite direction, to the direction of the adjoining stairs, I engraved in the dust where they are. This is so that I don't rub out the engraving, as I travel between them often enough. This is in case I should, of all things, suffer another mindflayer attack. That way I'll at least be able to find my way up and down quickly enough again. Something else to take of note: All the most direct paths between the stairs - on all the levels - have been swept clear. So I don't have to worry about stepping into a trap - like I did last time I forgot where everything was (see Part 13). Next, separated by a space, are the known monsters and their relation towards me. This is handy, as I look at these just before changing levels (going up or down stairs). Originally, I did this concerning other elves. But they are all dead now. You'll see why in a chapter or two. As I had discovered, nymphs can come in very handy (see Part 33). So their location, as well as that of some others, should need ever arise again. Garbage = whatever I consider of little use or value. Usually sundry weapons and armor, some tools, and worthless pieces of glass. Boulders are marked in case I ever figure a way to move them from level to level. There are quite a few water squares I want to fill on the Titan's level. Rocks are all in one pile near one of the stairs. Yea, I went around all the levels and collected them. That's cause, monsters go around and pick them up. So I just have to count how many there are in the pile. If any are missing, I know that something is around. And who knows, I may find a use for them later on. You'll notice that all the dangerous statues have now been destroyed. You don't want a rust monster, or lich statue coming to life at a bad time. And a bad time is defined as; any time your next to it (laugh!)! All the levels from 1 - 26 in the Mazes of Menace, and from 3 - 6 in the Caverns; have been magic mapped. The others, I haven't bothered, for various reasons. Some don't seem like I'll discover anything new (27, 28, the whole Boulders area), others I don't think I need to, as I'm not going back there for now (7 - 11 in the Caverns, and the entire Home area). So then whenever you see: NMM = Not Magic Mapped. Mazes of Menace: DL1: - altar (chaotic) - chest (empty) - sink - boulder (x2) - rocks (x150) - peaceful Yeenoghu - peaceful incubus called Death Row - peaceful red naga DL2: - stairs down (east) - stairs up (center) - stairs to the Caverns (west) - statue of a Keystone Kop - boulder (x1) - rocks (x75) - peaceful gremlin - peaceful forest centaur DL3: - teleportation trap - vault - boulder (x2) - peaceful black unicorn - floating eye DL4: Base Camp - altar (chaotic) - vault - chest (misc.) - large box (garbage) - 4 piles (garbage weap/arm) DL5: - falling rock trap - peaceful hill giant - dwarf king DL6: - water (x4) - boulder (x2) - rocks (x23) DL7: - boulder (x1) DL8: - boulder (x2) - xan DL9: Oracle level - 7 centaur statues - rocks (x126) - Oracle of Delphi - peaceful ogre king DL10: - Sirius's grave - throne - vault - stairs to the Boulders (north west) - stairs down (south west) - stairs up (east) - chest (garbage) - boulder (x1) - rocks (x46) - peaceful ogre king - peaceful bugbear - peaceful gremlin called Chuckles - peaceful quasit - peaceful mountain centaur - water nymph DL11: - squeaky board trap - peaceful mountain centaur - small mimic DL12: - vault - large box (garbage) - water trap (x2) - boulder (x2) - panther - spotted jelly DL13: - vault - fountain - boulder (x2) - rocks (x120) - peaceful hill giant - peaceful gremlin DL14: Minor Base - altar (chaotic) - fountain - vault - chest (empty) - large box (garbage) - boulder (x2) - rocks (x64) DL15: - large box (garbage) - boulder (x2) - rocks (x53) - trap (anti-magic field) - peaceful invisible gremlin - peaceful homonculous - peaceful black unicorn DL16: - magic portal to Home level 1 - falling rock trap - teleportation trap - fountain - vault - boulder - peaceful forest centaur (x5) DL17: Ghost level - DL18: - fountain - falling rock trap - boulder (x3) - rocks (x11) - peaceful homonculous - peaceful ogre lord - white unicorn DL19: - fountain - boulder (x3) - peaceful ogre lord - peaceful frost giant - peaceful black unicorn - wood nymph - lizard - giant mimic - rock piercer DL20: - swamp water room (x2) - sink - fountain - boulder (x3) - rocks (x119) - peaceful homonculous - spotted jelly DL21: - Chibougamua's general store - vault + magic portal inside - teleportation trap - sink - statue of a Keystone Kop - boulder (x10) - rocks (x87) - peaceful quasit - floating eye (x2) - nurse DL22: - vault - teleportation trap - large box (garbage) - boulder (x9) - rocks (x61) - peaceful ogre king (x3) - peaceful red naga - peaceful mountain centaur - large mimic DL23: - fountain - rocks (x37) - peaceful red naga - peaceful ogre lord - mountain nymph DL24: Main Base Camp - altar to Mars (chaotic) - chest (x4) (Missiles, Ordnance, The Cache, Tools) - large box (x2) (Garbage, Cursed Stuff) - ice box (Fridge) - sink - vault - monster generator (?) - an uncursed rock pile of a mystery shattered statue - a statue of a guardian naga - an uncursed statue of a coyote - an uncursed statue of a gnewt - an uncursed statue of a goblin - an uncursed statue of a sewer rat - an uncursed statue of a giant ant - an uncursed statue of a soldier ant - an uncursed statue of a scorpion - an uncursed statue of a lurker above - boulder (x5) - rocks (x161) - peaceful storm giant called Mort - peaceful storm giant called Larry - peaceful red naga called Manfred - peaceful Green-elf called Flap - wood nymph called Cynthia DL25: - fountain - boulder - rocks (x81) - peaceful ogre - jabberwock - lurker above - housecat DL26: - vault - boulder (x2) - rocks (x103) DL27: Titan's level (NMM) - water between the stairs - Grunt's memorial - statue of Perseus - statue of a red dragon - statue of an orc-captain - statue of a giant mimic - statue of a stone golem (x3) - statue of a Green-elf - statue of a soldier - magic trap - falling rock trap - boulder (x7) - rocks (x260+) - peaceful ogre lord - peaceful black unicorn - peaceful gremlin (x6) - peaceful red naga - grey unicorn - chickatrice - orc shaman DL28: Fortress (NMM) - trap door (x5) (way down) - chest (x2), (both empty) - large box (empty) - 2 piles (garbage weap/armor) - peaceful gremlin (x4) - long worm - yellow dragon - guardian naga DL 29: Valley of the Dead (NMM) - one way upstairs - Horde of; undeads, ghosts, and other horrors - Burp the giant spider - look for a gateway (magic portal) --------------------------------------------------- The Caverns: DL3: - Missy Prissy's memorial - squeaky board trap - falling rock trap - rocks (x26) DL4: - unlit level - rocks (x11) - boulder (x1) DL5: - unlit level - squeaky board - peaceful homunculus - peaceful Grey-elf - yeti DL6: Marsville - Izchak's candle shop - altar (chaotic) - chest (garbage) - 2 piles of garbage - rocks (x1) - peaceful gremlin (x2) DL7: (NMM) - unlit level DL8: (NMM) - unlit level DL9: (NMM) - DL10: (NMM) - DL11: (NMM) - unlit level - fountain --------------------------------------------------- Home Forest: (entire area NMM) Home1: - magic portal to DL16 - steel tree maze - chest (misc. + beartraps) - Orion - lots of peaceful monsters. Home2: - trees which may yeild fruit when axed Home3: - wumpus cave Home4: - unlit level Home5: - unlit level - squeaky board trap - polymorph trap Home6: - Scorpious's hide out - throne So that's basically what the Mazes look like from my perspective of things. With all the running up and down, I've been doing the last couple of months, I've grown very comfortable with the dungeon. Especially above the ghost level. I can handle any monster that the game randomly generates, and I just can't think of any that hold a surprise to me now. Although, some are dropped on sight, like liches and mindflayers, so I don't give them the chance to surprise me with a special attack (laugh!). Ellora's Main Base Camp (dungeon level 24): ------------------------------------------- I refer to this place so often in the story. Actually, at this time in the story, Ellora is there now. She's working on her weapons and armor, and testing out a few things. So, after fielding a few questions on it, I got the idea of making a map for you all. I taught myself how to use MS Paint (took 2 days), and managed to make something that is pretty close. It's not perfect, but if I can understand it, I'm sure the rest of you can (wink). Here's where it can be found: http://roguelikes.sauceforge.net/pub/www/nethack/stories/Ellora's%20BC.bmp (821 kb) http://roguelikes.sauceforge.net/pub/www/nethack/stories/Ellora's%20BC.zip (8 kb) If you can't access it (you never know with computer stuff and how they work), contact me and I'll send you a copy. Sorry about not being able to put it here. But I couldn't get Google to post it (or I don't know how to do it). Now then, here's a few explanations to it... Garbage: Large box filled with useless items that I don't want to have laying around. Missiles: Chest filled with all types of missile weaponry; arrows, darts, bolts, knives, daggers, shuriken, spears, javelins, etc. Ordnance: Chest with all my good weapons and armor. It has to have an enchantment of +2 or more to qualify. Or has to be something that you don't see too often. Like silver weapons or armor, leather jacket, different cloaks, etc. The Cache: This is "the chest". It has all my; artifacts, super weapons, super armor, spellbooks, potions, scrolls, wands, essential tools, etc. If something would happen to it - I would be screwed (!). Bell: The is the Bell of Opening. It refuses to be put in a container. So I dug out a space exclusively for it. Tools: Chest full of tools. I've accumulated so many that I decided to have a place for them. I also keep all my tins in here, cause I figure they don't need refrigeration. Cursed Stuff: Large box where cursed items are stored. I found that I needed a container for these. Else they get mixed up with all the rest of the junk, and you have to go through each container just to get them in one pile. Whenever I think that Mars might want to uncurse my things, I grab all I can from here. All of the above have their respective alcove, which I carved out of the back wall. Monsters are never generated in doorways. So I feel better about them being there. I'm always worried that a gelatinous cube will be generated on top of one of these. So that's why I made, then placed them in such. Fridge: This is an ice box. I keep all the comestibles that I feel are perishable in here. All my potions of booze (even the cursed ones) are kept in here too. I've since discovered that certain corpses can be kept in here also. I have a blue jelly corpse that's been there for I don't know how long! The "Fridge" was placed and loaded up before I had finished the final renovations in here. So that's why it kind of looks out of place on the floor plan. To the top left, I have three piles of miscellaneous weapons and armor. I have so much that I don't feel like throwing them in the "Garbage". That's how much I have. The top left pile is just identified weapons. Below it are identified armor. And the remaining one is unidentified weapons and armor. Sundry Statues: I've now placed all the statues in one square at this location. I used to have them lined up along the walls, but this got to be too much clutter on my screen. Altar: A black chaotic altar to Mars. Used for verifying the cursedness of objects, sacrifices, and the blessing of water. G.Naga: A statue of a guardian naga. A mistake. I made it before knowing how heavy it was. That's why it's not with the others. Rock Pile: These are what's left of an unknown statue that was located in a room to the east. It was shattered by a monster with a wand of striking, back when I was first exploring this level. I've collected the rocks and placed them here. I'm seeing if that will have any effect on how the monster generator operates. Rectangles: These represent doorways and/or entrances. There are only two doors left, from the original five. That's cause of the different giants that have come and gone over the time I've been here. Needless to say, I no longer lock the doors. The other four openings were either created by me, as shortcuts to different areas, or by monsters (like umber hulks). To The Downstairs: A pretty direct path cut by me. Saved time, as the old way was somewhat winding. To The Upstairs: Same as above. The "|" on top of the "V", is supposed to be an arrow pointing down. To The Monster Generator: That's a room to the east. Monsters are conjured in there - like you wouldn't believe. I've magic mapped, and object detected the level. I have searched every square in that room so many times, you'd think I'm crazy. But I haven't yet found what causes it. After a while, I cut a direct path to it. Makes it easier for the big slow heavy monsters to come at me. I then try to kill them on the same square as the altar. Boulders: Those are the big circles I've super-imposed over some doorways. These I placed there on purpose. The two to the east are cause of the monster generating room. So many are continuously made there, that I decided to limit their access. Else I would just get flooded, as I sometimes have been in the past. The two at the south, were placed cause I sometimes got hit by ranged monster attacks while I was around the altar or "The Cache". I hated that. It would disturb my concentration. I spend so much time on those squares, and the immediate surrounding ones. So now the monsters have to actually close and come in off-line to me. Gives me lots of time to finish what I'm doing, put away my stuff, then kill them. The base camp has gone through lots of changes over time. Originally it was a temple to Mars. It had a priestess to Mars, and was completely dark. I've since cast light all over it. Jubilex used to be here. His favorite spot was just to the left of the altar. My original cache was located in the top left area of the temple. Also had three elven kings wandering in and out. Used to be able to pretty well close it off, when all the doors were there. The whole surrounding outside area has been dug out in a great big "U" 5 squares in diameter. This whole area has also been lit with light spells from a wand. With all of my present monster detecting abilities - there is no way something can sneak up on me. So that's pretty well what things look like there now. Now you know what I mean when I say things like: - I sat on "The Cache" and pondered for a while. - I moved away from the mob, filing in from the room with the monster generator. - I went to the fridge for a potion of booze, then passed out on the altar. And so on... Next are my ranged attack tables. This should clear up, or shed some light on, why I do some of the things in the story... Thrown / Fired Projectile Ranges: --------------------------------- Too heavy to throw: stone giant, wumpus, baculathrium, fire giant, purple worm Range 1: tiger, sasquatch, hobbit, vault guard, horse, gargoyle, yeti, warg, panther, warhorse, Uruk-hai, Green-elf, gnomish wizard, dwarf, zruty, elven king, ogre, wood nymph, dwarf king, ape, mountain nymph, Grey-elf Range 2: rothe Range 6: thrown arrow, thrown bolt, python, cobra Range 7: beartrap, rock peircer, quivering blob Range 9: halberd, two-handed sword, dwarvish mattock, bardiche, battle-axe, morning star, voulge, lucern hammer, bill-guisarme, thrown rock Range 10: pick-axe, bec de corbin, guisarme, partisan, violet fungus, gremlin Range 11: spetum, crossbow, axe, Stormbringer, longsword, katana, glaive, ranseur, broadsword, quarterstaff, scimatar, elven broadsword, Orcrist, Snickersnee, silver saber, Dragonbane, fauchard, Firebrand, spellbook, leperchaun, ochre jelly, raven, homonculous Range 12: flail, elven spear, orcish dagger, knife, spear, dart, worm tooth, dagger, silver dagger, BDDD, Sting, Longbow of Diana, bow, sling, rubber hose, club, dwarvish short sword, orcish short sword, orcish bow, elven bow, thonged club, javelin, shuriken, silver spear, thrown gray stone, mirror, amulet, scroll, ring, wand, Bell of Opening, unicorn horn, towel, tin opener, skeleton key, bugle, candle, lock pick, leash, gem, worthless piece of glass, tin, bag of tricks, lizard, lichen, giant bat, acid blob, giant ant, giant beetle, floating eye Range 13: fired arrow, fired bolt, fired gray stone Note: This table applies just for Ellora. She's an Elf, a Ranger, and wearing gauntlets of power. I'm sure that another class of character will be different. Thrown: Means thrown by hand. Fired: Means when a missile is launched from a platform. Such as; arrow + bow, bolt + crossbow, and gray stone + sling. Monster: Means its respective corpse, of course. I found out very early that all arrows travel the same distance no matter what their designation. So that's why I didn't include the different types of arrows. Monster Attack Ranges: ---------------------- Range 1: everything in the Mazes of Menace but most importantly; mindflayer tentacles, lich disintegration touch Range 2: gas spore explosion radius, yellow light explosion radius, freezing sphere blast radius, flaming sphere blast radius, black light explosion radius, (all) troll types - polearms Range 4: vampire charming gaze (?), cobra venom spitting Range 5: Keystone Kop cream pie Range 6: winter wolf frost breadth, umber hulk confusion gaze, blue dragon lightning breadth, green dragon poison gas breadth Range 8: lich (titan?) cursing attack, priestess spell, (all) giant types boulder throwing, attack wands Range 9: pyrolisk wide angled dispersion heat gaze Range 16: unicorn 'pop and butt' attack That's what I refer to when I want to make sure I'm out of a certain monsters range. It's constantly being revised/amended when I discover something new, and/or discover that a particular monster has attacked me at a longer range than previously noticed. Part 47: A Day In The Laboratory -------------------------------- First thing will be to learn the identify spell again. Have to see what everything is first, in order to better assess my next step(s)... Done. Now to identify all the stuff I can till I'm out of power... Power is now at 4. Now I'll do other stuff till it recharges... I'm aware that some of you want to see this (laugh!)! So here's what appears in my "\" screen: Discoveries Unique Items Bell of Opening Artifacts Orcrist [chaotic elven broadsword] Dragonbane [unaligned broadsword] The Longbow of Diana [chaotic bow] Stormbringer [chaotic runesword] Snickersnee [lawful katana] Sting [chaotic elven dagger] Fire Brand [unaligned long sword] Amulets amulet of reflection (pyramidal) amulet of strangulation (circular) amulet versus poison (hexagonal) amulet of unchanging (square) Weapons * elven spear (runed spear) * elven broadsword (runed broadsword) dwarvish mattock (broad pick) dwarvish short sword (broad short sword) elven bow (runed bow) runesword (runed broadsword) elven dagger (runed dagger) orcish arrow (crude arrow) elven arrow (runed arrow) katana (samurai sword) spetum (forked polearm) guisarme (pruning hook) orcish dagger (crude dagger) orcish bow (crude bow) halberd (angled poleaxe) shuriken (throwing star) javelin (throwing spear) battle-axe (double-headed axe) ranseur (hilted polearm) glaive (single-edged polearm) partisan (vulgar polearm) quarterstaff (staff) dwarvish spear (stout spear) bardiche (long poleaxe) bec de corbin (beaked polearm) orcish short sword (crude short sword) elven short sword (runed short sword) scimitar (curved sword) bill-guisarme (hooked polearm) voulge (pole cleaver) fauchard (pole sickle) lucern hammer (pronged polearm) Armor * elven cloak (faded pall) * elven boots (buckled boots) helmet (crested helmet) dwarvish cloak (hooded cloak) low boots (walking shoes) orcish ring mail (crude ring mail) iron shoes (hard shoes) jumping boots (combat boots) orcish helm (iron skull cap) leather gloves (riding gloves) elven shield (blue and green shield) cloak of displacement (ornamental cope) speed boots (jungle boots) gauntlets of power (fencing gloves) shield of reflection (polished silver shield) kicking boots (snow boots) cornuthaum (conical hat) cloak of protection (tattered cape) high boots (jackboots) dwarvish roundshield (large round shield) orcish shield (red-eyed shield) dwarvish iron helm (hard hat) orcish cloak (coarse mantelet) elven leather helm (leather hat) Uruk-hai shield (white-handed shield) Scrolls scroll of scare monster (YUM YUM) scroll of create monster (TEMOV) scroll of enchant weapon (KERNOD WEL) scroll of light (ZELGO MER) scroll of teleportation (DAIYEN FOOELS) scroll of enchant armor (DUAM XNAHT) scroll of blank paper (unlabeled) scroll of identify (GARVEN DEH) scroll of stinking cloud (ELBIB YLOH) scroll of fire (NR 9) scroll of remove curse (READ ME) scroll of confuse monster (JUYED AWK YACC) scroll of earth (VENZAR BORGAVVE) scroll of gold detection (VERR YED HORRE) scroll of magic mapping (VELOX NEB) scroll of destroy armor (ELAM EBOW) scroll of amnesia (FOOBIE BLETCH) scroll of punishment (ANDOVA BEGARIN) scroll of taming (THARR) scroll of charging (XIXAXA XOXAXA XUXAXA) scroll of food detection (PRATYAVAYAH) Spellbooks spellbook of dig (dog eared) spellbook of teleport away (cyan) spellbook of knock (vellum) spellbook of slow monster (plaid) spellbook of light (cloth) spellbook of blank paper (plain) spellbook of wizard lock (gray) spellbook of detect food (dull) spellbook of magic missile (purple) spellbook of haste self (red) spellbook of detect unseen (mottled) spellbook of cure sickness (orange) spellbook of extra healing (stained) spellbook of cause fear (dark blue) spellbook of cure blindness (wrinkled) spellbook of detect monsters (shining) spellbook of clairvoyance (silver) spellbook of stone to flesh (turquoise) spellbook of identify (dusty) spellbook of levitation (light brown) spellbook of healing (indigo) spellbook of restore ability (copper) spellbook of magic mapping (leather) spellbook of cone of cold (magenta) spellbook of cancellation (thin) spellbook of create monster (bronze) Potions potion of extra healing (puce) potion of sleeping (cyan) potion of paralysis (sky blue) potion of gain level (emerald) potion of booze (orange) potion of restore ability (magenta) potion of hallucination (dark) potion of sickness (purple-red) potion of water (clear) potion of monster detection (brilliant blue) potion of healing (milky) potion of oil (golden) potion of speed (effervescent) potion of see invisible (smoky) potion of acid (murky) potion of confusion (brown) potion of invisibility (cloudy) potion of full healing (black) potion of gain energy (yellow) potion of blindness (pink) potion of enlightenment (dark green) potion of fruit juice (white) potion of polymorph (ruby) potion of levitation (swirly) potion of object detection (fizzy) potion of gain ability (bubbly) Rings ring of gain strength (iron) ring of levitation (steel) ring of polymorph control (granite) ring of sustain ability (agate) ring of teleport control (emerald) ring of searching (bronze) ring of aggravate monster (engagement) ring of adornment (wire) ring of regeneration (diamond) ring of warning (topaz) ring of slow digestion (silver) ring of gain constitution (opal) ring of hunger (clay) ring of invisibility (wooden) ring of free action (ruby) Wands wand of slow monster (runed) wand of make invisible (short) wand of light (uranium) wand of fire (ebony) wand of striking (iron) wand of teleportation (aluminum) wand of digging (tin) wand of secret door detection (jeweled) wand of nothing (brass) wand of cold (curved) wand of create monster (hexagonal) wand of magic missile (crystal) wand of lightning (silver) wand of sleep (oak) wand of wishing (glass) wand of enlightenment (steel) wand of undead turning (maple) wand of locking (balsa) wand of speed monster (long) wand of cancellation (zinc) Tools bag of tricks (bag) magic flute (flute) magic whistle (whistle) bag of holding (bag) mirror (looking glass) Bell of Opening (silver bell) crystal ball (glass orb) tooled horn (horn) tallow candle (candle) tin whistle (whistle) skeleton key (key) wax candle (candle) Gems luckstone (gray) flint stone (gray) worthless piece of orange glass (orange) worthless piece of blue glass (blue) worthless piece of green glass (green) worthless piece of yellowish brown glass (yellowish brown) chrysoberyl stone (yellow) worthless piece of red glass (red) citrine stone (yellow) black opal (black) jet stone (black) fluorite stone (violet) ruby (red) amethyst stone (violet) emerald (green) obsidian stone (black) worthless piece of white glass (white) opal (white) worthless piece of black glass (black) diamond (white) worthless piece of yellow glass (yellow) agate stone (orange) worthless piece of violet glass (violet) topaz stone (yellowish brown) garnet stone (red) aquamarine stone (green) Sure is huge, eh?! Only thing disappointing is that I haven't yet found a wand of death (concern). I'm going to uncurse all the stuff I can from the "Cursed Stuff" large box. For this, I'll use that blessed scroll of remove curse. I make sure that there are no wandering monsters around the level first, by wearing the blindfold... Nope. Just all my friends. Oh yea. I have a new friend here; Flap. He's a Green-elf. His name comes from, the way his hat flaps around all the time when he moves (snicker). So then. Drop everything except for the gauntlets of power and the scroll. Pull out all the junk in here that I can. Read the scroll. Okay done. Now dress myself back up, before something nasty materializes in the room with the monster generator. Now; sort and classify all the newly identified and uncursed objects... Hokay take note of everything... Then consider what I want to be, and where I want to go with Ellora... Much thinking... I really want to be an elven archer again (See the prologue to Ellora's whole story.). That was the original intent on choosing to be an Elf and a Ranger. I want to role play again. I want to have fun while playing my characters role. I want to shoot things from a great distance with deadly accuracy. I want to do it with the elven bow, cause I get five shots in salvo fire. I've always wanted to do it with the bow. But until I discovered that blessed arrows don't hardly get mulched, I had to use daggers. I have enough stuff here, that I can now change over to arrows again. I've been murdering lots of elves lately. That was another reason for completely cleaning out the Mazes of Menace, and my recent efforts at magic mapping. Besides Flap, there aren't any other elves alive. I've been collecting elven arrows for the whole game. I've been stashing them away. Besides my recent discovery on how to manufacture blessed water, elven arrows were very high on my list of 'rare items'. My dexterity is now at 18, I have lots of elven arrows (well, more than I've ever had with any character), I'm stealthy, I have a cloak of displacement, and boots of speed. Yep. That's what I'll do. I'm going to be an - elven archer ranger sharp shooter. Able to quickly duck in and out of advantageous firing positions. All the while, being extremely hard to hit. Yea... I like that. Fine. Let's get to work towards achieving this goal. Okay... Now I'm going to pull out all my scrolls, potions, the wand of wishing, my best armor, favorite weapons, and other objects. Lay them all down on the altar here. Wow! I sure have a lot. There's a lot of tedious and boring things to try now. But I'm curious and have an inkling about a few things... Dip, apply, rub, invoke, zap, quaff, etc., for what turned out to be hours. ... (the above three dots mean lots of; dip, apply, rub, invoke, zap, quaff, etc.) ... dum - dee - dum - di - dah (that's me humming) Yea. People say I'm tone death. I can't carry a tune. I'll spare you all. I'll put a CD in the drive instead... Hmmm... < Choose an appropriate CD > ** I originally had listed all the various albums and artists. But after re-reading the FAQ on Google, I decided that it was against the rules for posting here. So I edited them all out. Rest assured that, they were all very good for the different tasks I was doing at the time. I took great care in selecting the appropriate music for the ambiance. (wink). ** ... < Change CD > ... Quaff. Potion of enlightenment works just like the wand! I'm the Glory of Arioch? What, and who, is that? On a whim, I type "Arioch" in the in game 'cyclopedia ("/"). Arioch, the patron demon of Elric's ancestors; one of the most powerful of all the Dukes of Hell, who was called Knight of the Swords, Lord of the Seven Darks, Lord of the Higher Hell and many more names besides. [ Elric of Melnibone, by Michael Moorcock ] Wow (!). This guy sure has some impressive titles! And I'm considered as "his glory"? How come Mars hasn't informed me? Is this okay with him? I was under the impression that I was the instrument of Mars? This looks like it's also tied into the description I get for "Stormbringer"... Hmmm... I need to do some thinking here. Perhaps a little research too. Looks like Elric is an important guy. Any way, I can safely pray. Make more blessed holy water. ... < Change CD > ... Quaff. Darn. I should have drunk all my potions of gain energy before using all my power on identifying things earlier... ... Dip. Big discovery! I tried dipping some things in various potions. Discovered how to make arrows of sickness. Also tried for; arrows of blindness, arrows of confusion, arrows of paralysis, arrows of sleeping, etc. No show. But if the potion disappears when you've dipped something in it; something has happened. Darn it. This doesn't work on daggers. So my BDDD's can't get more deadly... This was one of those accidental discoveries: What I was really looking for; was how I could make flaming arrows. If I could coat some with oil, then ignite them with the flint stone somehow, just before firing them - that would be great! ... < Change CD > ... Zap! Guess what?! Another big discovery! A wand of cancellation turns potions into water! Too bad the wand is not blessed. It would have saved me a step in the water blessing process. I should also have tried this before praying for holy water earlier... But at least I don't have to dip them at fountains no more! And now I can turn some of these useless potions into something useful - like water. ... Okay. Most of the incessant monotony of; dip, apply, rub, invoke, zap, quaff, etc. is over. Good thing. I was running low on appropriate music (wink). Mmmkay. Now that I have learned a few more things about all my items: Next is to plan all this out... Part 48: A Day In The Armory ---------------------------- I ponder... I Think too... < Change CD > ... Gee... This sure involves a lot of thinking. The CD has already played out (laugh!)! Okay! I have a procedure all planned out. < Change CD > Drink potion of confusion. Fix the rust on my favorite helmet. Fireproof my cloak of protection and speed boots. I switch scrolls and do the same to; the blessed +2 spetum and, an old weapon of mine, the +1 elven bow. I figure that rust/fire proofing is really worth using a scroll on, instead of giving it an extra "+". Reason being; that objects can suffer various degrees of rusting, corrosion, and burning. Take my; thoroughly rusted and thoroughly corroded arrows for example. What do you think my helmet would be worth after suffering those kind of effects? Even if it were at +4, I wouldn't get any net benefits to my armor class. So one scroll to protect them against this, is well worth the while - I say any way. I did it only to the items I really want to protect. I have only so many scrolls. I have lots of positively enchanted shields in the chest called "Ordnance". So I can always exchange it with another, should a mishap occur. Thereby, I'm conserving a scroll there. And the wonder of mithril mail helps out here too. But concerning rare items like my gauntlets, boots, and cloak; these must be protected. The spetum is an old favorite weapon of mine. I've outlined enough different reasons concerning this throughout the story already. My elven bow is about to become my primary weapon again. Well, elven arrows are, actually. But I need a reliable means of delivering them to target. Okay. Time to get my head straightened out. Apply unicorn horn. Nothing seems to happen. Apply unicorn horn. Nothing seems to happen. Apply unicorn horn. Nothing seems to happen. Oh come on... Apply unicorn horn. Your less confused now. It's about time (roll eyes). Following my new dictum; "blessed is best", I dip some scrolls in potions of holy water... Now I give my elven bow an enchantment. Not that I need the extra "+" to hit anything. Don't forget - I'm an Elf AND a Ranger! I never miss. Even while being unskilled in crossbow, and using -3 bolts with a -1 crossbow, I still hit anything and everything. Instead, it's so that the bow has a better saving throw against any malevolent effects. Like disintegration from a lich (!). Mmmm... Got only +1. I'll come back to it if I have any to spare... Oh. What the heck. I'll give one to the Longbow of Diana too. It has served me well all this time... +3! Looks like the artifact got favored (laugh!). I'm running low on scrolls. But; I'm going to use one on "Stormbringer". Yea. I know. I should should save it to empower my main weapons. But "Stormbringer" is still at +0. And I like the way it has been described in the in-game encyclopedia. Also Mars transformed and enhanced it for me. It deserves at least one "+", no? We can't have the 'great big black life-stealing sanguinary battle-blade' sitting at a measly +0, now can we? Like, even "Sting" is at +1 (laugh!)! I've been doing some research on it lately. And I'm terribly impressed with it. Supposedly, this is the most powerful artifact to ever be placed in a mortals hands! You can refer to the following for additional information about Stormbringer and Arioch: http://groups.google.ca/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8& threadm=26ccd8a4.0405082359.6b3f5399%40posting.google.com&rnum=1& prev=/groups%3Fq%3DArioch%2BElric%2BStormbringer%2Bquestion%2B group:rec.games.roguelike.nethack%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26 group%3Drec.games.roguelike.nethack%26selm% 3D26ccd8a4.0405082359.6b3f5399%2540posting.google.com%26rnum%3D1 So that became yet another reason for me to give it a scroll. So wield "Stormbringer"... Read the blessed scroll and... +1 (!). Well. Good enough for now. Now we can say it is 'enchanted' too (wink)! All right. Now it's time for something that I've been putting off for so long... I dipped the charging scroll, the one I wished for a while ago, into holy water. Then charged the wand of wishing. Found out that it (the wand) didn't have to be wielded. But I wasn't taking no chances with this procedure! Wish #1: Magic Marker First thing I did with it, was write a scroll of XIXAXA XOXAXA XUXAXA (charging) on a blessed blank paper scroll. Good thing cause, I soon ran out of charges writing scrolls of DUAM XNAHT (enchant armor). I recharged the marker, and enchanted some armor before writing more. Wanted to see how well things were going first. I blessed the other scrolls with holy water, of course. When I ran out of scrolls, I wrote another scroll of charging, on a blessed blank paper scroll, and the rest of the marker went towards scrolls of KERNOD WEL (enchant weapon). I had very few scrolls of blessed blank paper, so used them for scrolls that would not need mass blessings, like the enchant types would receive. Much to my disappointment, I saw that I would not have enough to get all my armor as high as I wanted to. So I made sure that everything got at least one "+" first. Except for the shield and mithril, those I had redundancy in already. Now; I tried to recharge the magic marker again. The scroll of charging disappeared with no effect! Ah man... This put a big crimp in all of my previous and careful planning (sad, sad face). So only one recharge allowed? Its been too long since I've played a Wizard to remember now... Well. What to do with this marker then? I thought again. Then wrote a scroll of VENZAR BORGAVVE (earth). After that, there was no more - no matter which scroll I tried to write... Hokay... Let's see how well things go on the weapons side... I'm going to try and create some nice ones... I have four blessed scrolls and one uncursed one. I have 4 stacks of elven arrows. By far the largest are uncursed +0. The next in size is uncursed +2. Then blessed +1. And finally uncursed +1. I have vials of holy water at the ready too. I'll start with the ones I have the most of. Once I see where they go, I'll then be able to figure out the rest. I wielded my biggest stack of elven arrows; uncursed +0. Read a scroll and got them to +3! Okay, that was great. I have a reference for where I want to go. Now let's work on getting the rest of the stacks evened out. I blessed the pile of uncursed +1 arrows. Now I could combine them with the other same stack (I dropped them and picked up both piles of blessed +1 arrows). Now big decision. Which one to try and and transform... Okay. I feel lucky this way. I wielded the blessed +1 arrows and read a blessed scroll. They went to +3. That worked out well. Now, I know what to do. I wielded my stack of uncursed +2 elven arrows. Now I read the uncursed scroll. They went to +3. I dropped them and picked them up with the other pile of uncursed +3 arrows. I blessed those, and dropped them. Now I picked up all the elven arrows on the altar. Now they were all combined in one huge stack. A total of 143 blessed +3 elven arrows! Back to blessed scroll reading. The next one got them to +5! I felt thrilled! The last one got them to +7! I was exhilarated! I got a funny message too. Something about them vehemently vibrating. I guess the arrows were excited too (laugh!)! Now to reconsider what I had planned earlier. That magic marker didn't make as many scrolls as I had counted on... Ponder... Yep. I'm still going to go through with my original plan. Wish #2: Jungle Boots I wanted another pair of speed boots. I'll carry them with me in the bag. Of all the things that could hurt me the most, should I get something disintegrated, would be to lose my speed boots. Yes; more than the cloak of displacement, and more than the gauntlets of power. As for the other armor; mithril-mail, shield, and helmet, I have more of those - or can easily enchant something similar. Yea. I'm going back to mithril. I have one that's +4. That makes it as good as the dragon mail. But since it has magical properties, is both rust and corrosion proof, and is already enchanted, I'm going to put my trust into something that I already know works well. I'll take a chance and trust what the guide says on this one. Even if I were to lose the Longbow of Diana, I could muddle along. I'm not going to keep all 143 arrows on me all the time. I'm going to deposit a hundred in "The Cache". That's for safe keeping. With 9 BDDD's and the remaining 43 super stellar elven arrows, I'll have more than enough to drop tough monsters. And if I don't... Well, hopefully I'll have found a wand of death by the time that should ever come about (laugh!)! Don't get me wrong, they're all nice to have. But the speed boots can get me out of sticky situations. While the rest of my stuff doesn't do that. As long as I can get away, I can have a chance at regrouping / consolidating my character. Survival takes precedence over everything else! Okay. Now I'm going to bless some of my other things. The bag of holding. This is in case it gets cursed it will go to uncursed. Some things work backwards when cursed, as you have all seen in Part 32, this is one of them. My only brass lantern. Not because I'm worried about it not working. It still does if cursed. But to maybe improve its chances of not getting disintegrated. Like what happened to my other one when I was in the Valley of the Dead. I hardly have any candles left. So this item has become quite valuable to me. I'll soon be heading into unexplored territory. I'm going to need it (!). My +2 elven bow. All my primary armor. Another unicorn horn, as a back up. Finally I'm going to bless one of these luckstones, and keep it in the bag with a blessed +2 sling. With the different monsters I've seen appear in the game so far; I have a feeling that I'll be meeting "Goliath" sooner or later. And that this will probably kill him in one shot. Why else would they travel so far? Look at my ranged weapons chart (in the previous chapter). When fired from a sling, they travel as far as arrows and bolts. I'll keep two potions of blessed water on me too. You just never know. This is really handy stuff. That done; I then dipped the whole stack of 143 newly created elven arrows into a potion of sickness. They got coated with poison. I know that arrows sometimes lose their coatings. But the ones that do, I'll just collect them all in a pile. When I get enough, I'll just dip those in a potion of poison again. I have lots of arrows to hold me over. I'll be able to rotate them. Okay... NOW I have some real arrows! I can really drop monsters with deadly accuracy from great distances now. I quivered them and looked at how they now appeared in the inventory screen. Oooh... They look good! I'm gonna give them a name. Just like I named my daggers BDDD. Hmmm... I chose BPEA: Blessed Poisoned Elven Arrows. I looked at them in the inventory screen again... I didn't like the way the name showed up. Hmmm... How about BPea? Nope. I don't like that either... B-Pea? Nope. B-pea? Nope. BPA? Nope. BPAAA? Nah. How about just BP? Neither... Okay. I won't name them (laugh!). They look good enough, just as they are. Now I'm curious about another thing. Actually been wanting to do this for quite a while now too... I put on; all my best armor, wielded the elven bow and had "Stormbringer" in my off hand, made sure I had my wands handy and the tools I like. In essence; I outfitted Ellora for 'battle mode'. Zapped the now uncursed wand of enlightenment... Current Attributes: You are the Glory of Arioch. You are piously aligned. You are fire resistant. You are cold resistant. You are sleep resistant. You are shock resistant. You are poison resistant. You see invisible. You are telepathic. You are warned. You have automatic searching. You have infravision. You are displaced. You are stealthy. You have slower digestion. You are protected. You are very fast. You have reflection. You are very lucky. You can not safely pray. Well. That all sounds fine and dandy to me! That combined with my current equipment, attributes, and knowledge; sure makes me feel confident that I'll be able to breach the Valley of the Dead. Although these last two days may seem to have been filled with tedious and repetitive actions; I found it interesting. I especially enjoyed, the thinking and planning of, the second day. Still have another wish in the wand. Maybe more if I can recharge it. But with what happened to the magic marker, I have a strong suspicion that the wand won't take another charging scroll. But we'll see. I'll think about it overnight... Part 49: Gimmick ---------------- Well... I had a bad dream last night. Dreamt that I got surrounded by mindflayers. Tried to teleport out, but was caught in an area similar to the Boulders. Needless to say: The battle went pretty bad. But what was the worst, was that I survived (!). Believe it or not; I might rather die then have to face going through mapping and identifying everything again! I have so much of it done already. Have so much knowledge. Dunno if I could bear such a catastrophe... All day, through work, I couldn't shake the thought from my mind. I can't go on like this. It's driving me nuts... I'm going to use my last sure wish. I'm going to protect my character. I'm going to get some peace of mind. I'm going to rid from the game, one of the worst creatures ever created. The fearsome, and most despised; mindflayer. Okay. Fire up the game. Do some more thinking. Review the plan in my head... Zap the wand of wishing. Wish #3: Magic Marker First thing was to identify this magic marker. Have to know about how much I'll be able to get out of it. Oh God! It only had 30 charges. That's like nothing! Okay. Better write a scroll of XIXAXA XOXAXA XUXAXA (charging) first thing! Else I won't have enough for what I need. Do I have enough for another scroll of charging? No I don't. Phew. Good thing I identified it first! Else I may have written another type of scroll. Okay. Charge the magic marker. I write another scroll of XIXAXA XOXAXA XUXAXA on blessed blank paper. I now know that the magic marker can't be recharged a second time. But this scroll will be for the wand of wishing. Now that that's out of the way (have to really think things out before doing stuff you know), I go to write a scroll of genocide on blessed blank paper. By the way, this is my last blessed scroll of blank paper. Darn. I don't know what the genocide scroll is. I don't have it identified. I ponder for a few minutes on what it can be? I look at my discoveries screen ("\"). Which one is missing...? Hmmm... The only one that I can think of is HACKEM MUCHE. Oh man... Do I take the chance? Ponder... Nah. I'll do the same when I first wished for my speed boots and bag of holding. The game recognized those without giving me a hassle. And come to think of it, when I wished for the scroll of charging, that's what I had typed in also. Okay. Hopefully the same will apply for scroll writing... "genocide" You try and write a scroll of genocide. You don't know that scroll. You write "Ellora was here." on the blessed unmarked scroll and then it disappears! (hang head + mutter a few choice words) DAMN IT. I felt like spitting. Break time.... ** smoke + coffee + another smoke ** Okay... (sigh) Well. You all saw it here. I printed it a few lines above. If I ever find a scroll of genocide and get it identified - it better not be HACKEM MUCHE! Cause if it is... Then I should have gone through with my first impulse (bang table)! Sweet Jesus. Hope this doesn't come back to haunt me... (nagging anxiety) All right. I still have a few charges on the magic marker. I spent a wish on this thing. Let's make it count. Next I wrote a scroll of THARR. I'm going to get me a pet gremlin! I've been wanting one for a long time (see Parts 23, 30, 34, and 43). I was very impressed by their description in the 'cyclopedia. Sounds like they could almost even be minions of Mars and/or Arioch (!). Seventeen charges left in the magic marker. I'll stow it in "The Cache". Save it for an emergency scroll of... Hmmm... A scroll of whatever. All right. Grab another leash from the "Tools". Check my map for where the nearest wild gremlin is at... The Titan's level. Fine. Off we go... I'm on an island. Near the west side of the map. Where most of them are concentrated. Waiting for one of the little green dudes to come on land. They keep on hovering over water... Time passes... Okaaay... None of them are coming. Guess I'll soon see if I can charm one while levitating... Yes! It worked! I can read a scroll while levitating. A scroll of charm monster any way. I got a gremlin with a little heart next to his picture. Now to apply a leash, and lead him over to the stairs. I didn't risk throwing some food at him, cause I didn't want him to miss it and then it would sink. I dunno what gremlins eat any ways. I'll have to run some tests on this. First thing is to give him a name... Now I'll name the leash. This is so I don't get confused between the two, like what once happened to me with my two baby gargoyles. Now zap him with this wand of speed monster... Hold still a minute, will ya Gimmick?! Zap! There. Gimmick is moving faster. Okay let's head for home. I'm all excited: I have a pet gremlin (smile)! Once back at the main base camp, I let him loose. He was able to keep up with me pretty good while on a leash. Same as Phiona. These speed wands are great for pets. Best use I've come up for them. Now I pull a whole bunch of different food from the "Fridge". Food ration, slime mold, the rothe corpse, banana, kelp frond, pancake, cream pie, fortune cookie, you name it. I lay it all out on the floor for him. Let's see what he eats... Nothin' (?). Hoh boy. Hope he's like the way Grunt was. Else I'll have a starving gremlin soon... Okay. Put everything back. Now I go and grab some weapons and armor for him. Maybe he'll wear some of those? Not from the piles on the floor, but from the "Ordnance" and "The Cache". Yepper - nothin' but the best for my pet! He just keeps hopping around all over the place. Hardly ever lands on the same square as an item. Hmmm.... I gather them all up, and head to the vault on this level. It's a small room. I drop everything in four piles. Some weapons and armor evenly distributed between them. I whistle Gimmick over into the room. While I stand in the doorway - thus blocking his only exit - I then wait. I'm looking at him bopping about, all over inside the room. Hop. Hop. Hop. Hop. Hop. Hop. Hop. Hop. Man. He sure is fussy! It's not like I have cheap stuff in there with him either. "Orcrist" (I'm not using it), "Dragonbane" (neither this), "Sting" (maybe he likes little weapons?), "Snickersnee", blessed +3 rubber hose, blessed rustproof +2 long swords (I have 4 of these), +2 dwarven mithril-mail, blessed +4 dagger, blessed + 3 knife, +4 axe, +2 elven cloak (yea, my original one), some kind of +2 polearm, +3 kicking boots (my old snow boots), +2 mummy wrapping, +0 cloak of protection, blessed +2 elven short sword, blessed +2 elven broadsword, -2 cornuthum (who knows what he likes?), +2 leather gloves, +0 shield of reflection, +3 iron shoes, +1 jumping boots, blessed +2 small shield, green dragon armor, +0 leather jacket (it has a small picture, maybe it's his size), blessed +1 morning star, +3 javelin, etc., etc. Loads of decent equipment. And you know what is the only thing he ever picks up and decides to wear!? A blessed +2 orcish helm (!?). Sheeeesh! And I waited for like 100 clock ticks too (!). Even had a vault guard come and go (by getting shot in the back with a BDDD salvo), while I was waiting on him. Added another wand of striking to my collection. Well at least he can use some "thing". Even if it's only "that" thing. (roll eyes) Okay, Gimmick. Let's see what your made of. I gather all the items and go back to store them. Then we take a little walk to see what kind of monsters turn up... ... Many encounters ensue... You know what I found myself doing while this was going on? I discovered that I was using my; new super stellar poisoned +7 range 13 possibly 5 shot salvo fire elven arrows, as sparingly as possible! Seems I'm afraid of losing the poisonous coating on them (?). So I only used them when I thought that something was getting too close to Phiona. Think it was a zruty. Besides that - that was it! Kind of goes against what I had said earlier about wanting to play the role of an elven archer, eh? Go figure (roll eyes). ... Okay. Gimmick doesn't do nothin'!? I can't believe I used a wish to get him (roll eyes)! He doesn't attack anything. He has no special attacks (that I ever noticed). He's supposed to be highly intelligent and completely evil. I haven't seen anything that has shown me this. He's supposed to live to torment other creatures. Only one he's tormenting is me (!), by just acting like a frog. He's supposed to go to great lengths to inflict pain or cause injury. He won't even attack a shrieker! Come on! It doesn't even fight back. It just sits there and shrieks, while you slice it up for a vegetable salad. What a useless pet he's turning out to be (mumble grumble). Okay. We're going back to base camp. I've wasted enough time and energy on this tame gremlin called Gimmick... Dungeon level 23. We're heading to the downstairs. An imp shows up on the radar. It will intersect our current path. Gimmick is two squares ahead of me, Phiona a few more behind me. I know Gimmick is a chicken. Well actually, half chicken. The other half is frog. He's just going to step aside and let the imp by. Then watch while either Phiona, or I, kill it. I've seen this too many times now. It's just an imp (no, it's not a chameleon). I'm not going to waste any missiles on it. Can't be bothered to pick them up after. So I stop. And hit "x". I'll give "Stormbringer" an hors d'oeuvre... Suddenly - I hear noises! What?! Gimmick has attacked something - the imp! FINALLY! The very next action phase... You have a sad feeling for a moment. But then it quickly passes. (smirk) For once the game was right on this count. The sad feeling didn't last long with me at all. I'm now back at base camp level 24. Boy-oh-boy. What a disappointment Gimmick turned out to be... He didn't leave a corpse, so no need for a burial. I didn't even construct a memorial pile of rocks for him. He didn't deserve it. The failed attempt to rid mindflayers, the pitiful amount of use I got out of the magic marker, and then the demise of Gimmick; has left me with a sense that this is a bad day. Definitely not one of my best or lucky sessions with Ellora... I'm not going to try and press it further. I won't try to recharge the wand of wishing today. If it should fail - and judging by my luck so far today, it very well might (laugh!) - I'll lose my last scroll of charging. I'll just leave them both in "The Cache" for now. Now then. I'm finished playing with all my stuff. I'm very impressed with how Ellora looks. Quite satisfied with her equipment. Too bad I ran out of enchanting scrolls, but she's the; strongest, most developed, and advanced character I have ever had. She'll now be used as a benchmark for me to gauge all future characters upon. What's left on my 'things to do' list? Ellora's list of: Things To Do - clear out the Valley of the Dead - locate the gateway and/or magic portal on level 29 - create and outfit a gargoyle personal guard with my eggs - boulder required to cross the water at the fortress - get the two BDDD's from the water on the Titan's level - ON HOLD! - explore the magic portal on level 21 - reconstruct the shattered statue - stone to flesh Perseus and see what he has to say about himself As you can see, it's starting to get shorter. Mmmmkay... I'll start at the top of the dungeon and work my way down. I'll do the magic portal on level 21. When I finish that, I'll relearn the stone to flesh spell. See what the statue is all about at base camp. Chit chat with Perseus. Fill the water and create a bridge at the fortress below him. Come back and organize my personal guard. Then I'll be set for an assault on the Valley of the Dead. Well... That's the plan for now (laugh!). Let's see how often I get sidetracked... When I was talking about the wand of speed for pets before, and how I found that as it's best use, it gave me an idea about another wand... I pulled out a wand of make invisible from "The Cache", and went to an empty room with Phiona. This is so that I don't accidentally turn something else invisible - like one of my chests. Zap! Phiona turns transparent! Do the look (";") A tame invisible panther called Phiona. Great. That makes her even more neat. Can you imagine a panther stalking and readying to pounce upon it's prey? Pretty scary, huh? Now imagine it when that panther is also invisible. Now that's scary! If your wondering why I do not turn myself invisible; it's cause I don't like the way it looks on the screen. I had a prior character that was invisible and I didn't enjoy the game any more. Now I suddenly had another idea. I relearned the healing spell. Not for me, but for Phiona. I'll tap her with one, should I sense she's taken too much damage. Remember what happened to Sirius? I don't remember if I knew healing back then, but if I did: Too bad I didn't think of that at the time... I shake my head. Best not to start dwelling on the past. Best way I can honor Sirius; is by learning from his death. And not letting that happen again. Off to dungeon level 21... I'm at the entrance to the vault, with the magic portal hidden under the pile of zorkminds. I'm considering whether to bring Phiona with me when I jump through or not. I'm having a hard time deciding. While thinking about it, I decide to leash her up. I don't want her wandering around and getting into an inadvertent scrap, while I'm concentrating on my next few steps and plan of action. Besides, should I step out of the doorway, she may just run into the portal by accident. She moves fast, often two squares at a time. Thinking that she now won't move more than one square from me, I step into the room and next to the portal. I'm going to look in my bag and see if I have everything. Also, I'm going to give my inventory a final "once over". Apply the bag and see what's inside... The invisible Phiona whimpers. Your leash goes slack. Suddenly the invisible Phiona disappears out of sight. What?! Oh no! She moved one square up and left. Then one square down and right. Scooted right around my picture. All in the same action step! Well. That decides it. Guess we're going in together. Actually she's already there. Where ever there is (?). With some apprehension, considering how things have gone so far today, I step forward... There is a magic portal here. You see 76 gold pieces. You activated a magic portal! You feel dizzy for a moment, but the sensation passes. You penetrated a high security area! An alarm sounds! T:136327 <- I'm going to include the time as it appears on my status screen at the end of each part from now on. A few of you were curious about it. A reasonable request, that's no problem with me. Part 50: Shields ---------------- Okay. What have we got here...? I check the status bar. Ah-ha! This place is called Fort Ludios. That means nothing to me (laugh!). I'm standing on the magic portal... Phiona is next to me... And so is what looks like the picture of an elvish king. Is he friendly...? Yep he is... Good. Don't have to worry about him right off the bat. We all seem to be in some kind of small room... No light in here... Check inventory... Damn. My lantern is in the bag. I'll have to use an action step to retrieve it, then another one to light it. Better to do other things that take no time off the clock first... I scan all the monsters in my immediate detection range... Thirty five monsters... Only two show up as question marks... This is good... That means I can then visually identify the general threat factor... Hmmm... Quantum mechanic, titanothere, succubus, barrow wight, a throng of Uruk-hai, some wargs, winter wolf, nurse, rust monster, cobra, fire ants, long worm, floating eye and some other minor monsters... Nothing to be really concerned about... Unless they're all going to swarm me, of course... I'm still scanning... I'm sure that some of these are friendly... Yep... Peaceful red naga, peaceful homunculus, and the elven king, of course. What's this? The king is kneeling in my presence? Oh yea! He's recognized the "Glory of Arioch" (grin). It's okay king. Get off your knees. Your embarrassing me. I turn to Phiona. Have to make sure she stays close... You slip the leash around your invisible panther called Phiona. You hear a door open. You hear a chugging sound. You see a door open. The barrow wight throws a knife! The knife misses the fire ant. The knife misses the Uruk-hai. You are almost hit by a knife. The hobgoblin wields an orcish dagger! Two more question marks have appeared. They're both red. A ghoul has come into focus. A dog and a horse too. What also looks like an orc captain, and a gnome king. What's the story with the door I heard open? Is there another entrance to this room? I hope not (!). Any way... No time to take out the brass lantern. An Uruk-hai has already stepped into the door that I can now see. Looks like it's going to be party time! Have to be careful where I step. There may be traps. Don't want to be polymorphed or teleportated! I have to do some searches before to make sure... ... (<- For this chapter, these three dots will represent anywhere from 3 - 12 rounds of; hacking, slashing, gutting, poking, and whatever other actions you associate with combat) I've managed to selectively kill monsters that were trying to come through the door, and now the hobgoblin is in the entranceway. He was wielding an orcish dagger, eh? I scroll up on the message display... Yep he is! Fine. I'm going to let him live for now. I'll use him as a shield from the rest of the monsters. That means I can now use the spetum (youpie + rub hands together)! ... The barrow wight casts a spell! Someone shouts "Off with her head!" What?! Who's head? "Her" head!? That means me?! Well... We'll just see about that... ... The spetum hits the ghoul! The fire ant bites the ghoul. The ghoul is destroyed! Woah! Guess the barrow wight can cast confusion or something (?!). Must have gone after one of my displaced images (gotta remember that), and nailed a fire ant instead (he he). ... Killed a few more monsters with the spetum while the hobgoblin kept some meaner monsters from getting at me. I like this. Even though I'm not even wearing the shield; the hobgoblin can't hit me (snicker that gradually grows into laughter). ... Uh-oh (!). Something new on the radar: Umber hulk range seven! I better keep an eye on him. If he gets a line of sight on me... There's a lot of other monsters coming into view from the top and the right of the screen (I appeared on this level in the bottom left). But nothing that I can't handle. As long as they have to file in through this choke point... Although the room is dark. There haven't been any other monsters that have appeared inside. So that other door I heard open, came from somewhere else. The barrow wight picks up an orcish helm. The barrow wight puts on an orcish helm. You destroy the barrow wight! Oooh... All you people who've been turning your noses up at the spetum - look at what just happened (wink)! That's all that appeared in the message area when I applied the, blessed rustproof +2, spetum on him. The barrow wight went poof in one hit! ... How come the umber hulk isn't passing through any walls? ... The spetum hits the titanothere! The hobgoblin misses. You hear a sceptre pounded in judgment. ... Eventually the hobgoblin went down (sad face). Something killed him from behind by shooting arrows. Then: All of a sudden, the rust monster was in front of me. It missed me twice by going after displaced images! I know I have all my armor and weapons rust proofed. But what about my amulet? My rings? My wands? The wonder whistle? There's so much to always be considering in Nethack. Remember that key that got rusted (see Part 10)? No way am I going to let that happen again! No chances shall be taken. Time for my stately secret weapons! DIE rust monster! Step back. Exchange. Fire! You shoot 2 poisoned elven arrows. The 1st poisoned elven arrow hits the rust monster! The poison was deadly... The 2nd poisoned elven arrow hits the long worm! You cut the long worm in half. Okay. Step back up to the door. Who wants to show their face next? Quantum mechanic. I don't like these guys. They try and touch you. Yuch! I'm female an Elf AND a Ranger: I Absolutely Hate Being Touched! Fire! Hmmm... Quantum mechanics don't seem to be affected by poison. Don't matter. He was most certainly affected by the super spectacular +7 enchantments! He's dead. ... An ape is now in front of me. Phiona is whimpering again? What's the matter dear? There's something that she doesn't like in here. What exactly, I can't tell you (?). But she's been doing it since we've got here. I let the ape take some swipes at me while I unleashed her. Don't worry; it missed all its attacks. Phiona moved away and whimpered - again (!?). What is it? Is she hungry? I remember feeding her a mimic on the way here. Can't have been that much time that has past since then... (?) Consult: "Thrown / Fired Projectile Ranges" table (See Part: 46). I look at what's most likely to be filing in next, should the ape go down... Step back. Exchange. Wield "Firebrand". Ape steps up. Doorway is empty. The fiery blade burns the ape! The fiery blade burns the ape! You kill the ape. "SHIFT + O" Adjust pickup types and autopickup exceptions. "SHIFT + @" Auto pickup ON! Step forward. Which simultaneously picks up the ape corpse. I'm stressed (but it won't be for long). Long worm now blocking the doorway. Throw ape to my right. Phiona eats an ape corpse. There. That will hold her over for a little while. I cooked the meat for her too. See how thoughtful I am (big grin). And look at how I've improved my ability at adjusting the game commands (bigger grin). I've come a long way since the beginning of the story, eh? (pat my own back) Okay. Back to concentrating on the new situation... Hmmm... Think for a minute... How hard do these long worms hit again? How come I don't know this...? I think it's cause they're wimpy. So I never considered them a threat. It could also be because I don't usually let things hit me either (laugh!). I do know that they are real slow. So it won't get in too many whacks at me. (shrug) I'll try him out as a shield for now... Wield blessed rustproof +2 spetum. The spetum hits the pit viper! You hear the sound reminiscent of a seal barking. Uh-oh. My mind is telling me that this has been heard somewhere before... Where was it again...? You kill the pit viper! The long worm misses. The long worm misses. The long worm misses. What's this? Three attacks in one round?! Yikes! Well they all missed. And I was right. I get like 6 action steps before it nibbles at me. I'll keep him for another six rounds and see what happens then... ... The spetum hits the lieutenant! The long worm bites! The long worm just misses! The long worm misses. Look at status screen. HP:124(124) Okay! I'll keep the long worm as a shield for a little while yet... ... Killed an orc captain and a winter wolf. Long worm hasn't hit me since. Then the lieutenant came back into blessed rustproof +2 spetum range and... You kill the lieutenant! The long worm bites! The long worm bites! The long worm bites! WOW! It must have rolled three 20's in a row! (*) Look at status screen. HP:124(124) Okay!!! The long worm can stay in the doorway for ever! I'll even try and protect it!! Can't let any of these stupid orcs or soldiers shoot it with missiles!!! Now I'm always trying to stick the spetum into Uruk-hai and/or soldiers that may be carrying missile weaponry. ... Eventually it went down. But I never hit it! It was all these ignorant duds from behind that whittled it down with their missiles... ... The spetum hits the succubus! The gnome king tries to wield a worm tooth. The gnome king's bow is welded to his hand! Har-har!! I'll let you get next to me (big grin)! Hang on king! Let me kill this soldier for you. Wield "Stormbringer". Feed the black blade. There. The path is clear. Come on! Oh you big dummy. You let something else get in front of you (roll eyes). Feed the black blade another wretched soul. Aww no! You let something else butt in front of you again! Smarten up, eh?! Can't you see that I'm in demand? Hold yourself up. Show your a king. Don't let the rabble keep getting their way! I have to help him out. He's never going to get in front of me otherwise... (roll eyes) Exchange. Fire! Two monsters go down in line. Step forward. Welcome to David's treasure zoo! Whaaat? Who's David? Any ways: No time for that. Traverse left. Fire! Step left. Traverse right. Fire! Step up and right. Exchange. Satisfy the runesword with a few more miserable souls. Okay king! They're all gone for now. Path is clear! Come and get me... I run back inside the doorway. The gnome king follows and eventually takes the spot I wanted him to. Okay good. He'll be my new shield... The very next round - an Uruk-hai from in the back of the room, kills him with a poisoned arrow! Awww man... Actually. It could very well have been one of mine that he picked up too. But I'm not sure... Okay. Who's coming in next? Titanothere (!). Oh wow... Your a big hunk of meat. That gives me an idea. I want a little break. I want to explore the immediate area. I wield the spetum. Exchange. Then wait for it to enter the doorway... Fire! Fire! Step back. Fire! You kill the titanothere! Step up and right. Apply wonder whistle. Phiona eats a titanothere corpse. Step right. Okay. That worked out pretty good. Phiona is going to be eating for quite a while. The entrance has been effectively blocked. I stepped out of any of the enemy monsters line of sight. Else they'll fire missiles at me and hit Phiona. Now I have some time to explore the surroundings a bit. Pull out the blessed brass lantern and apply it. Yep. Small room. No entrance on my right. But I better make sure. I search every square next to the wall 6 times. Next. I hug the sides of the room and do a radar sweep with the ring and the Longbow of Diana. I'm trying to gauge what kind of denizens this Fort Ludios level has to offer... Looks like a whole slew of soldiers are all cramming over to this side of the map. Wonderful. That means another epic battle is in the making... Hmmm... The umber hulk is at range three from me. But he never seems to pass through any walls... I wonder if this place is like Scorpious's palace on the Home level? I try the pick-axe. Dig down. No go. Only pits can be made. Walk to the western side of the room. I'm going to try a wall on that side... Phiona got nailed by three arrows! Damn. I forgot about that when I walked across the doorway. Sorry girl... I quickly head back to where I'm out of sight from the mob. There I start considering the situation. How will this develop? Do I have enough super stellar arrows? What are some of these strange messages I've seen? What are the best approaches to take concerning mine and Phiona's welfare? Do I have the right materials? Can I get something better from my main base camp? Is there too much here to take on? Should I do another part of the Mazes of Menace, then come back to this area at a later time? Hmmm... Okay. I've thought out a few things... But I'm not going to tell you what they are - just yet (wink). How we doin' Phiona? Almost finished? (#chat - direction - Phiona) Phiona is eating noisily. Okie... I take up position behind her (the monster archer has since moved off-line). Check inventory... Oops! The brass lantern is still lit. Turn it off. Apply the wonder whistle named Phiona. You produce a strange whistling sound. Phiona is now in the square to my immediate right. Chat with Phiona again. She's still eating. Okay. I'll get some more exercise while waiting for her. Any way, I wanted the doorway cleared for me now. I'm curious about something... A nurse steps into the doorway. Quiver orcish poisoned arrows. I picked some up before. Nurses are wimpy. I'll save the super stellar ones for other things - like some of these sargeants and lieutenants... I want to drop the nurse. I don't like their pictures in the game... Fire! Hmmm... Nurses aren't affected by poison either I see... Wonder if I should start a list identifying poison resistant monsters? That may be a good idea. Then I wouldn't be wasting poisoned arrows on them. Hmmm... I may just do that... Fire at nurse again. Nurse dies. A swarm of monsters are trying to cram in towards me. Too many now. Have to use something better. I'm working on what I was thinking earlier any ways... Quiver; sanctified seeking elven arrows. Fire! You shoot 5 poisoned elven arrows. The 1st poisoned elven arrow hits the warg! The 2nd poisoned elven arrow hits the warg! The 3rd poisoned elven arrow hits the warg! You kill the warg! The 4th poisoned elven arrow hits the succubus! The poison doesn't seem to affect the succubus. You kill the succubus! The 5th poisoned elven arrow hits the Uruk-hai! The poison was deadly... You just gotta love my new surprisingly splendid elven arrows, eh!? I took a step into that room. I want to get at that other door and shut it (!). ... Oh man there's a lot of people getting in my way here... ... I'm surrounded on 4 sides. Taking multiple hits every other round. Only down 6 hit points though. I'll press on... ... Too many soldiers! Can't kill them fast enough. Can't get through. I'm going to fight my way back... ... Gawd. None of these soldiers seem to want to cooperate... Okay guys! Lemme get back! I've changed my mind! ... Okay. I'm back in the room with the magic portal. Had to lift a few bodies out of the door. Then clear out all the junk here. Fight a few soldiers off, and then close the door. I locked it too. Hit points are back at full. I count my remaining serenely salient elven arrows. 28 left in the quiver. So 15 are still in the other room beyond the door. Hmmm... Okay. Put the leash back around my invisible panther. Accept a bow from the elven king. Step back through the portal... Okay girl. Let's go back to base camp for now. We need some special equipment... Back at base camp, I grabbed a few items from the different chests. Organized and sorted a few things then headed back. No incidents except that I saw a cockatrice on level 21. Made a note of its location. Then Phiona and I stepped through the magic portal to Fort Ludios once more... (*) That expression is from back in my AD&D days. Rolling a 20, on a 20 sided die, meant an automatic hit. No matter how low the opponents armor class was, and even if the attacker could not normally hit. T:136729 Part 51: Shooting Soldiers -------------------------- Back in the little room with the magic portal at Fort Ludios. Radar shows that there is a veritable horde of soldiers in the adjoining room. So much so, that they're wall to wall. So crammed in. Just like a tin of sardines! Gawd almighty... I'm so loaded with stuff, that when I pulled out just the brass lantern from the bag of holding, I was burdened. Better to pull out all the items I need for now. Then drop the bag. That's better. I'm now unencumbered. Can't dig through the walls. Yep. It's just like the last level back Home... Read a scroll of magic mapping... A map coalesces in my mind... Mmmm... Hmmm... Some kind of fortress area. Damn! I completely forgot about donning the blindfold last time I was here!?! (shake head) I do so now... Mmmm... Hmmm... Black, red, blue, and silver dragons... I have a terribly good idea what black dragons breathe. Found that out the hard way back in '78. With one of my most cherished characters in the game that Nethack is not (sad face + feeling melancholy...). Silver ones... I just can't remember. Was it frost or lightning or something...? Four giant eels... A cave spider (yuch!)... Lucky thing I brought "Sting" with me (wink)... Couple of elves, invisible stalker, trapper, umber hulk, zruty, some Uruk-hai, and a veritable brigade of soldiers... Central room in the fort... It's also crammed with monsters... There's this Croesus guy on the throne... Who the heck is that? Better check the "/" command... Croesus (in Greek: Kroisos), the wealthy last king of Lydia; his empire was destroyed when he attacked Cyrus in 549, after the Oracle of Delphi (q.v.) had told him: "if you attack the Persians, you will destroy a mighty empire". Herodotus relates of his legendary conversation with Solon of Athens, who impressed upon him that being rich does not imply being happy and that no one should be considered fortunate before his death. Some rich guy who doesn't take advice. (shrug) I won't bother doing any research on him. Depending on how long it takes me to get there; he won't be alive after tonight any way. Tomorrow at the latest... Quaff potion of object detection... I can see kelp fronds! The elven king has a wand... Too bad for him. That now puts him on my "take lives for the glory of Mars" list... The black dragon is also sitting on a wand... The cave spider has a scroll... All the soldiers have either "C" or "K" rations, bugles, and such... There are two large boxes and two chests! Maybe another wand of wishing! Just like at the fortress on level 28! Lots of gold in a central room... And gems in what is probably the corner turrets... Okay. Put on ring of teleportation control. Zap wand of telportation. Direction ".". < A mysterious force prevents you from teleporting! > Damn. But I'm not really surprised. Teleportating isn't all what it's cracked up to be. Most levels, where you want to use it on yourself, don't allow it to happen... (sigh) Looks like it's going to have to be done the old fashioned way... Check inventory. Ready weapons. Place equipment in proper order. I brought all 143 serenely screaming arrows with me. This is going to be a good test to see how well they stand up in a major battle. Also, I'll see how often they get mulched, and/or lose their poisonous coatings... Ready Phiona? Phiona snarled. I nodded in response. Then, unlocked the door leading to the room that was jam-packed with monsters. The door flew open, and the first of the faceless horde stepped into the doorway... A big battle with soldiers, and assorted monsters, played into the night... I had potions of sleeping, paralysis, and confusion available. As well as; a few judicious zaps from wands of sleeping and slow monster, assured that the fight would be one sided: My side! I hadn't even been scratched, and was mowing them down quite effectively with the saliently sinister elven arrows. And then... A wand was zapped. A purple beam ricocheted around the room. Never saw one as such before (?). On a hunch, I looked at my discoveries screen. Something new now appeared at the end of the wands section... < wand of death (pine) > ! I must get it before all the charges are expended! Which one of you has it!?! Mow down the column in front of me. Step into the mob. Message screen filled up with misses aimed at my displaced images. Apply mirror. < The umber hulk is confused by its own gaze. > Soon enough, it gazed at a floating eye and, didn't move for a long time. I'm now fighting my way deeper into the mob. I must get a line of fire on that other door... Another dark purple beam ricochets around the walls! But I think I caught where it's point of origin was... Traverse up and left. Fire! Step up and left. Yes! I'm now in direct line. Fire! I got him! Now I have to maintain a steady stream of fire on the area. Can't let the ones around him pick it up and use it... < You shoot 5 poisoned elven arrows. Your elven arrow is no longer poisoned. The 1st elven arrow hits the soldier! The 2nd elven arrow hits the soldier! You kill the soldier! The 3rd elven arrow hits the soldier! The poison was deadly... The 4th elven arrow hits the soldier! The 5th elven arrow hits the soldier! You kill the soldier! The umber hulk hits the Uruk-hai. The umber hulk hits the Uruk-hai. The umber hulk bites the Uruk-hai. The umber hulk gazes at the Uruk-hai... The soldier picks up 6 blessed poisoned +7 elven arrows. The soldier picks up a wand of death. The soldier throws a spear! The spear misses the umber hulk. You are almost hit by a spear. The soldier throws a spear! The soldier is hit. > < You throw 3 daggers named BDDD. The 1st dagger named BDDD hits the soldier! You kill the soldier! The 2nd dagger named BDDD hits the soldier! The 3rd dagger named BDDD hits the soldier! You kill the soldier! The soldier wields a spear! The soldier throws a knife! The knife misses the umber hulk! The knife hits the homunculus. You hear a scepter pounded in judgment. > Even though the umber hulk isn't in-between me and the square I'm suppressing, those missiles are aimed at my displaced images. That's why he's getting nailed. Either that, or there's some confused people in there too (laugh!). < The soldier picks up a spear. It is missed. The potion misses the soldier. The vial crashes on your head and breaks into shards. You yawn. > Yep. It is somewhat boring... < You shoot 3 poisoned elven arrows. The 1st poisoned elven arrow hits the soldier! The 2nd poisoned elven arrow hits the soldier! The poison was deadly... The 3rd poisoned elven arrow hits the soldier! The soldier picks up 8 blessed poisoned +7 elven arrows. The soldier picks up a wand of death. > < You shoot 3 poisoned elven arrows. The 1st poisoned elven arrow hits the soldier! The 2nd poisoned elven arrow hits the soldier! You kill the soldier! The 3rd poisoned elven arrow hits the captain! > < You shoot 4 poisoned elven arrows. The 1st poisoned elven arrow hits the captain! The 2nd poisoned elven arrow hits the captain! The 3rd poisoned elven arrow hits the captain! You kill the captain! The 4th poisoned elven arrow hits the horse! The soldier picks up 15 blessed poisoned +7 elven arrows. The soldier picks up a wand of death. > < You throw 2 daggers named BDDD. The 1st dagger named BDDD hits the soldier! You kill the soldier! The 2nd dagger named BDDD hits the soldier! You kill the soldier! > < The horse strikes at your displaced image and misses you! The horse strikes at your displaced image and misses you! The umber hulk hits the floating eye. The floating eye is killed! The soldier throws a knife! It is missed. The knife hits the horse. > < You shoot 4 poisoned elven arrows. The 1st poisoned elven arrow hits the horse! You kill the horse! The 2nd poisoned elven arrow hits the invisible stalker! The 3rd poisoned elven arrow hits the invisible stalker! The 4th poisoned elven arrow hits the invisible stalker! > < The invisible stalker hits! > I took 12 hit points on that (surprise!). First time I got hit. Even though I was neck deep in monsters. But I needed one more step, and then I'd be standing on the same square as where the wand of death lay (!)... < There are many objects here. The soldier wields a voulge! > I did it! I'm standing on it! < You shoot 5 poisoned elven arrows. > Killed 2 soldiers. < You shoot 5 poisoned elven arrows. > Killed 2 soldiers again. Now the wave of soldiers was starting to abate. The battle was degenerating into a disorganized fray. The umber hulk had sauntered back towards me. I couldn't resist... Apply mirror. < The umber hulk confuses itself! > These guys are funny in a room full of monsters (laugh!)! The fray fell apart into isolated pockets of resistance. After I mopped up, and secured some booty, I now started to concentrate on a plan against these dragons... Checked the area on the western end of the big open area for traps with the brass lantern. I'm going to need it secured for blind target tracking. Put on blindfold. Wait for dragon(s) to leave the water before shooting... Killed the red and blue dragons while I was hugging the wall. Two soldiers and the silver dragon coming around from the top... < You hear a crackling sound. You hear a zap. It is hit. It is hit. >> No idea what that was all about, but the black dragon was now in line of fire... < You shoot 3 poisoned elven arrows. The 1st poisoned elven arrow hits the black dragon! The 2nd poisoned elven arrow hits the black dragon! The 3rd poisoned elven arrow hits the black dragon! You kill the black dragon! Welcome to experience level 16. You feel more confident in your skills. > Oh wow! It's been a long time since I've seen that message! Scan status screen for changes... HP:127 Pw:157 Exp:16 T:136931 Still a Scout.... (shrug) #enhance There is absolutely no hesitation on my part, concerning which box to check... < You are now most skilled in broadsword. > There. Now I can wield the 'great big black sanguinary life-draining battle-blade'; "Stormbringer" with utmost ability! (smile of satisfaction) While I was admiring my new prowess with the runesword... < You hear a crackling sound. The blast of frost hits the invisible Phiona! The blast of frost whizzes by you! > Woah! Silver dragons breathe frost! Lucky it didn't get reflected from my amulet! Else Phiona might have got hit on the rebound... Killed the silver dragon with super stellar elven arrows. Step down and right. Step down and right. Traverse up and left. Fire! One salvo of silently seeking elven arrows dropped the two remaining soldiers. Just the two on the bottom and the cave spider left... Okay. That takes care of all the middle area stragglers. Remove blindfold. Go and sift through the booty dropped by the recent kills... What is this?! There's A white square on the water? I thought the game got broken or something. Damn computers. I better not take any chances. I just went up a level! ** Save game and exit. Reboot computer. Fire up game again. ** It still shows up the same way? Hmmm... Look at square with the "/" command. It's... Ice (?!). Okay. I'll figure that out later... First things first: Check for any monsters in the area. Nope. Change clothes and heal Phiona. < The invisible Phiona looks better. > Now then. Since I'm already in spell casting attire... Cast light all over the level. There. That's better. Now if any kobold lords get generated, they will have a hard time here. Change back into battle armor. Murder... I mean: Take the lives, of the elven king and the two other elves, for the glory of Mars. After that, I let the black blade and Phiona feast on a flesh golem. Gathered up all the booty. No wand of wishing in the chest in the eastern room (sad face). Power is back up. Identified several things... Twenty two poisoned orcish arrows... Six scrolls, but no enchant types... Eight useless potions, save one of poison (thumbs up!). Six wands, the wand of death still has 5 charges (yea!)... A spellbook of cancellation... An amulet of lifesaving... And a cursed oil lamp... That's the exciting stuff for now. The weapons and armor will have to wait. I'm out of power again... I'll make a trip back to base camp now. It's getting late. I'll croak Croesus tomorrow night... Level 22: < You hear the footsteps of a guard on patrol. > Okay. Let's make the detour and get another wand. I left the bag of holding near the downstairs, so as not to be burdened when the vault guard would appear. Phiona, the peaceful red naga, and I, then started searching the vault. It was a little tight with three of us in there, but I'm use to having others around me (wink). The guard showed up, and we went through the motions of the interrogation. He turned around for me to follow him when... Fire! He fell on the second shot. The poison was deadly. The corridor mysteriously disappeared and, a wall was now blocking the way. Uh-oh... We're all trapped inside! We've been sealed in! No problem. I'll just pull the pick-axe out of the bag, then cut out a...(!?) < You don't have that object. > Oh my God! The bag of holding! I left it outside! Quickly I look at my inventory. Do I have a wand of digging on me? No! I put it in the bag, in order to lighten the load. I have a scroll of teleportation on me (phew!). But I don't have the ring of teleportation control. Gawd... I hope I don't teleport next to where I am - and still be within the room. Else we'll be in a fine mess.... I stopped and thought about the whole situation for at least 10 minutes. Yep. That scroll is my only hope... Okay. Read the scroll. I got sent to the other side of the level. Had to look for my picture. It's always confusing to me, to have to find myself again after I do a non-controled teleport (laugh!). I let out a sigh of relief. Another lesson learned. Almost the hard way. Sometimes the most innocuous things can end your game!!! I freed Phiona and the red naga from the vault. Then proceeded down towards base camp... < You put an uncursed bugle into the chest named Tools. You put an uncursed bugle into the chest named Tools. You put an uncursed bugle into the chest named Tools. You put an uncursed bugle into the chest named Tools. You put an uncursed bugle into the chest named Tools. You put an uncursed tin opener into the chest named Tools. The Angel drinks a potion of invisibility! The Angels' body takes on a strange transparency. For some reason, the invisible Angel's presence is known to you. You feel aggravated at the invisible Angel. > God damned right. For sure I am. In fact I'm infuriated! He's disturbing the "Glory of Arioch" in her private chambers! (Grrrr...) Didn't leave a corpse. Lucky for him. Else I would have condemned him to eternal damnation by offering it to Mars. Still sorting stuff. Monster generator, in that room next door, has decided to kick in and annoy me. Next thing was an owlbear. Oh boy! Mars loves owlbears! I always, always, always have something good happen when I give an owlbear to Mars. Have to lead him to the altar first... < Your sacrifice is consumed in a burst of flame! The hill orc throws an orcish dagger! You are nearly hit by an orcish dagger! The orcish dagger hits Mort. > Aaaargh! Stupid orc! You ruined my sacrifice to Mars! You couldn't have picked a worst possible time to do that! I didn't get anything!? What is this? Pick on the "Glory of Arioch" night? The orcs were dispatched with utmost cruelty. I took off my gauntlets of power (so they would die slower) and used "Firebrand" to sear their flesh. Next annoyance was a golden naga. It took 7 arrows (over 3 rounds) to kill it. I was impressed with the amount of damage it could sustain. I couldn't lift it either. So Phiona got bloated. Finally, I was able to complete the sorting and classifying. The trip back from Fort Ludios took longer than expected. I'm tired. ** Save game and exit. ** Tomorow I'll finish clearing out that level. Frost breadth freezes water, eh? Hmmm.... T:138197 Part 52: The Sacking of Fort Ludios ----------------------------------- Hokay... Back at Fort Ludios... Scanning with the radar... All clear except for what's inside the fort itself. Surrounding area has been cleared and secured. Time for final preparations, and the storming of the fortress. My way, of course (grin). First thing is to discover where the secret doors leading to the insides are. Put on the ring of levitation... And go around to scan with my elf secret door detection ability... Monsters are casting spells and drinking potions while I do... One door discovered only? On the eastern side. That's it? (shrug) It'll have to do... Make sure there aren't any traps, along a line of 13 squares, at a right angle from the door... That will serve as my firing line and path of approach. Check the door for traps - 12 times. Unlock the door... < You see a door open. The stone giant throws a boulder! The boulder hits the hobgoblin! The hobgoblin is killed! > Har Har!! That's one way of assuring that no one can get into the doorway (snicker). Okay. I'll just move a square off-line and land on the other side of the moat... Now to walk over to my fire station... (dum - dee - dum) Okie. Range 8 from the doorway with the boulder blocking it. None of them can hit me with anything at their disposal. Put on blindfold. Draw back on the elven bow and start mowing them down... (Once I finish my contract with Mars, I'm sure I could get a job in the circus.) The following represents the number of arrows fired and the monsters that went down during these rounds: 5 - goblin, gnomish wizard, bugbear 3 - orc shaman, gnome lord 3 - bugbear 4 - Croesus, bugbear 4 - bugbear, troll 5 - stone giant, hill giant, hobgoblin 5 - troll, gnome lord 3 - bugbear, goblin 5 - hobgoblin, mountain centaur 4 - gnome king, kobold lord 3 - Uruk-hai 4 - bugbear, kobold lord, hobgoblin 3 - troll 3 - bugbear 5 - orc-captain, kobold lord, invisible rock troll That was all with 'full salvo fire'. No 'finesse firing' was used at this time. Now I walked up to the moat and zapped a wand of frost. Ice formed. I knew it was safe to walk on, cause I saw some big heavy monsters do it yesterday. I have to push this boulder, which is blocking the doorway, out of the way... < With great effort you move the boulder. You enter an opulent throne room! You try to feel what is lying on the floor. You trip over a hobgoblin corpse. You make a lot of noise! > How embarrassing (blush). Good thing I wasn't wielding "Stormbringer". Can you imagine how much Arioch would be laughing at me? More fighting was necessary to finish off the stragglers. Here's how these rounds went... Stormbringer - hobgoblin Stormbringer 2 - troll Step Stormbringer - hobgoblin BDDD 3 - troll Exchange Arrow 1 - troll Step Arrow 2 - plains centaur Step Arrow 5 - ogre lord, hobgoblin, hobgoblin, bugbear Arrow 1 - nothing (!) Step Arrow 2 - bugbear Arrow 4 - invisible rock troll, gnome, bugbear Step Step Arrow 2 - bugbear Step Exchange Stormbringer - troll Step Step Stormbringer - invisible rock troll I never got scratched. Never took a hit. Never got zapped by a wand or spell. Whistled in Phiona, took off the blindfold, and started rooting through the booty... Only thing I remember from here, was a spetum. So the rest of the booty was not spectacular. Well, compared to what I already have, that is... Opened the door to the vault (I think the door was trapped), and discovered a pit right away. Couldn't walk inside, so levitated across. Discovered pit after pit. Some were spiked. So I just remained levitated, and searched the whole room. Found like nine land mines. All the gold in every square made it difficult to remember where all the pits and mines were. I had to continuously do the "SHIFT + ^" command. Managed to untrap and bring out 7 land mines. Two were set off by clumsy monsters before I could get to them (sad face). I considered the deactivated land mines, more valuable than the zorkmids (!). You can't buy these. I've never seen one for sale. So one is dependent on the game generating them for you. Made several trips through the magic portal. Deposited all the stuff I wanted on the other side. This included the two chests here. These, I also considered more valuable than the zorkmids. Too bad I didn't clear this level before. I didn't know that there were four good containers here! I would have left some on lower levels, instead of bringing them up to my main base camp... During this phase, I found the following message funny... < The invisible Phiona eats a stalker corpse. > Next. I changed clothes, dropped most of my stuff and figured what I wanted to wish for (scroll of genocide). Sat on the throne three times - nothing ever happened. So I changed my pattern. Had to get the computer to give me a different result. I kicked the throne - then I sat on it. It disappeared in a puff of logic... Go figure (laugh!)! Power was up, so I drained it all down to nothing, by casting identify on a pile of interesting weapons. The spetum, which was the most interesting to me, turned out to be; cursed -2 (sad face). Best thing I found, so far, was a +1 two handed sword. I'm still holding out a lot of hope, for the six flails I've gathered here. Next. I walked over to the ice patch that the silver dragon had made yesterday. Don't worry. I had no intention of digging through with a pick-axe (wink). I deliberately slept on this the night before. Wanted to let my intuition work a bit. Needed to come up with a different way of testing the depth of the ice. What I did instead was; levitated over it and zapped a wand of digging downwards. A pit appeared! Okay. Now I can take the "on hold" order off of my 'things to do' list, regarding the BDDD's on the Titan's level (all right!). Took me 4 or 5 trips to haul all the junk back to base camp. Brought only the items I wanted, and both chests. Left most of the weapons, and nearly all the armor behind. I identified things whenever my power was near full, wherever I was at the time. Either at base camp or at the huge pile of weapons and armor. Here's what the level looks like now that it has been cleared... Fort Ludios: - magic portal to DL21 - 2 large boxes - huge pile of garbage weap/arm - boulder - rocks (x50) - peaceful humonculus - nurse The two monsters got generated on the far side of the map, just as I was leaving. I didn't feel like walking all the way back just for those two. They don't give good treasure. If it would have been a linx, a werejakal, or a rothe, then I would have. So, that's why they're still alive. Sorted and classified everything. But still have a pile waiting to be identified in one of the new chests. Carved out two more alcoves at base camp. Haven't named the two other chests yet. I may just relocate them to a lower area of the Mazes of Menace, should I require another base. Not sure yet. I'll see what happens in the Valley of the Dead first... Monster generating room produced 11 Uruk-hai at one point. Most I remember seeing in one "summoning". A new method has emerged with me, when I'm traveling in known areas of the Mazes of Menace. I find myself walking around with the blindfold on, nearly all the time now. Combined with the ring of warning, I can detect all monsters instantaneously when generated. Also, this allows me to know where they are at all times. Helps me keep track of what Phiona is up to also. No surprises anymore (!). I'm going to count what's left of my superbly suave elven arrows... 18 non poisoned, and 122 poisoned ones. So that means I lost 3 completely. Not bad. I must have shot over 150 of them too. Maybe more... Power back up. Let's do more identifying... A +4 crossbow, a +3 blessed rustproofed longsword, a +2 pair of leather gloves, a blessed +1 crystal plate mail, and a +2 small shield. That's all great stuff. Maybe some of my personal guard will be able to use them when I create the unit. Also discovered the aklys. Now then. What's left on the 'things to do' list... T:141213