At the urging of my friend Lion Kimbro, I've decided to put a little bit of a description of the only game of Nethack that I have won. Nethack, for those who don't know, is a "Dungeons and Dragons"-like computer game, available free for just about any platform. While its graphics aren't precisely state of the art (game play consists of making a little @ sign run around the screen fighting or interacting with various creatures like g's, H's, and D's; if you're lucky, they're in color. I guess, you could use one of the graphical tile-based versions out there, but even that might detract a little from the pure imagination of the game: I actually find an approaching yellow 'c' to be much more frightening than someone's squiggly drawing of a cocatrice), I have yet to hear of any (electronic) role-playing game that comes close to matching its degree of depth and detail.
Almost every imaginable detail of game situation and play has been considered; I can't even begin to give enough examples to convey the degree to which this is true. (As one tiny indication, several effects in the game can cause your character to enter a hallucinating state. Not only does this alter several game mechanics, but virtually every game message takes an alternate, drug-addled form.) Even more importantly, however, the game has a reasonably detailed "plot", which is almost unnoticed at first but becomes increasingly important as the game moves on. If you actually succeed in winning the game (which virtually nobody has ever done without getting hints either from spoilers on the net or from the source code itself), your character's god grants the gift of immortality.
At any rate, after many failed attempts, I won. Yes, I was playing one of the "easier" character classes, and I made liberal use of spoiler files, but it's still something of an accomplishment. I'll include a description of my win that I sent to Lion below. Some of the terms are rather obscure ("GDSM" means "Grey Dragon Scale Mail", for example); search for nethack websites and newsgroups to find explanations for them. If you don't want spoilers, beware!
In the immortal words of Lion Kimbro:
> Stoose,
> You - da'- woman!!! YAh!!!
>
> Congradulations. {:)}=
>
> ( Did you have a pet named "the Lord"? What was your pet's name?!
> details, Details, DETAILS! {:)}= )
Well, let's see. My initial cat's name was indeed "the Lord", but alas, it passed away fairly early in the game, and I didn't get another pet until my pet Angel of Odin, Fido. Now, hmm, this game was spread out over a long time, and there were several others (on my Linux side) going on at the same time... but I can recall the salient details. Upon reaching Mine Town, my roommate Brian Johnson (another Mudder) asked me what that lamp was that I was carrying. I wasn't sure, but I went into the store, found another lamp that was for sale very cheap, and named its type "normal". My lamp was still unnamed. (I found another of the same type along the way, too!) I blessed it, rubbed it, and got a djinn, who gave me a wish: blessed +2 GDSM it was.
I then cleared the Mines, and brought every tool I could find up to the Mine Town temple (which I'd converted). I blessed and rubbed the other lamp, and wham, wand of polymorph, which I'm now convinced is the single best wish in the game. A few zaps of the wand, and voila: speed boots, gauntlets of power, helm of telepathy, shield of reflection, bag of holding, and four magic markers, among other goodies. (Also an iron gollem, but hey, not everything can go right.) Thus arrayed, I was able to cut through most of the rest of the Dungeons of Doom like butter.
I had Mjollnir, and won the Quest fairly easily. Wraith luring into Bigroom got me up quite a few levels, and I tried my hand at nurse dancing with any nurses I found for a while. Upon finding Medusa, I popped back up and found and looted Ludios. Piece of cake. More food than I knew what to do with, and gold beyond my wildest imagination. Bought myself a decent AC bonus with that. Found a scroll of genocide, and before going after Medusa wiped out all ';'s. Put on my towel and ring of levitation, nonchalantly floated to her island, and showed her a mirror; that was all she wrote. The very next level was the castle, and upon putting on my towel Brian mocked me for having genocided ; instead of L, because there were a couple of very nasty looking L's in the castle. I just laughed, and popped up a level, cleared a scroll, wrote genocide, and killed L's, too. I went around the castle, killed the guards, and opened the drawbridge from the inside with a soldier's bugle. (Happily, I floated over the trap doors in the back hall.) I spent some time making holy water and blank scrolls, then wrote myself ?oEA's to drop my AC down to -47. Took out the gaurdians of the treasure rooms, including a black dragon which made me very firm, and also went through the halls to find the /oW in the back tower. I wished for ?oCharging, as I hadn't found one yet, and charged it back up to 3 wishes, none of which I ever used.
The rest is straightforward, I suppose. Gehennom wasn't too bad, and I bribed the demon lords (one accepted a paltry 8gp) who would accept it. Not tough. Vlad was a joke, and I picked up an extra "oLifeSaving there (I'd gotten one in a later polypile at the castle [" means amulet, of course]). I ran into a mind flayer on one level, which was very irritating; I wrote a scroll of genocide to deal with his ilk, but I accidentally made it blessed, so that was it for hobbits and dwarves, too. :( I cleared paths through the mazes down to lev. 52, found the vibrating square, and then went after the Wiz. His tower was simple, and he wasn't so bad, as I'd collected a couple of /oDeath and written a fair number of ?oCharging to power them up. I used the Orb of Fate to lev. teleport down to the bottom, ported to the vibrating square, got myself ready, and performed our favorite ritual.
Down I went, eager now, and actually skipped most of the graveyard, heading straight for the inner sanctum. The mass of priests there was a challenge, and I had a mortal fear that one of them would pick up and weild one of the cockatrice corpses that I'd provided for them, but all went well. (I had a near brush with a cockatrice in Ludios: I couldn't get to a lizard in time, and had to pray. My lizard corpses were always on top after that.) It was pretty easy to clear nonetheless (>280hp will do that), and I went in, killed the high priest, and took the Amulet. Up I ran, and despite the annoying stair teleports I got out without too much trouble. Rodney (the Wiz) didn't bother me that often, in fact. I ran back up through the dungeons of doom, got to the top, and got ready: I'd written cursed scrolls of gold detection earlier, and I had all I needed.
Up into the elemental planes I went, and Rodney only showed up ONCE before the Astral Plane. I dug my way through the plane of Earth with wands, floated straight to my goal on the plane of air, got lucky on the plane of fire that the second $ I visited was not a fire trap, but the portal, and ended up on the plane of water. There, I got stuck: I couldn't find a good way to find the portal. After _far_ too long, I found it by pure luck. (The plane was quite dull, as the only monsters there are E's and ;'s, the second of which had been genocided.)
Finally, the astral plane. I was rather unlucky, and guessed wrong twice before reaching my altar. I killed death no less than four times, pestillance twice, and famine (who guarded _my_ altar) once. It was challenging! I usually killed the horsemen by throwing Mjollnir at them from a distance, but once Death rose from the dead right next to me when I was surrounded, and did some substantial damage before I could wipe him out. Finally, I got to my own area, and just dodged around the press of foes in my way. I ran to the middle, got to the altar, and sacrificed the amulet. Demigoddess-hood here I come!
Whew. I've got to go now; that took a while. :) Here's my final saved info (though something awful seems to have happened to the map) [I've pretty much fixed it now]... bye for now.
Steuard
You offer the Amulet of Yendor to Odin...--More--
An invisible choir sings, and you are bathed in radiance...--More--
The voice of Odin thunders: "Congratulations, mortal!"--More--
"In return for thy service, I grant thee the gift of Immortality!"--More--
You ascend to the status of Demigoddess...--More--
+-------+
D |.......|
------+ |.......|A +-------------+
.....| |...@@D.|A |......%......|
+-------+..++ --+ |.....@.| ++).+-------+ |
|.......|.%%++ ++ | |.......| | ++...|.......|
|.......|%.!)+-+ % ++|. +---_---+@.| +-+!.[.|.......|
|..._..._....%[%) ||......@......| .).[.._..._...|
|.......|....+-+ % +++-+.........+-+ +-+%...|.......|
|.......|...++ + % ++ +----_----+ % ) ++ ++...|.......|
+-------+..++ ---%---+ --.-- ++..+-------+
...| | `%+-----+ +-----+ | |...
----+ | %=% % | | % | +----
+-----+[% ++ ++ +----
| ++ $ ++ |
-+ +---%---+ +-
| )) %)) $ |
---------------
Elwing the Lady St:25 Dx:18 Co:18 In:12 Wi:18 Ch:11 Neutral
Astral Plane $:0 HP:229(297) Pw:138(138) AC:-47 Xp:30/100112364 T:122138
Amulets
q - a cursed amulet of life saving (being worn)
T - a cursed amulet of magical breathing
W - an uncursed amulet of life saving
Weapons
a - the blessed rustproof +6 Mjollnir (weapon in hand)
Armor
g - a blessed rustproof +5 pair of gauntlets of power (being worn)
k - a blessed fireproof +5 cloak of protection (being worn)
p - a blessed +4 gray dragon scale mail (being worn)
s - a blessed fireproof +5 pair of speed boots (being worn)
v - a blessed +4 shield of reflection (being worn)
N - a blessed rustproof +4 helm of telepathy named telepathy (being worn)
O - a blessed +4 T-shirt (being worn)
Comestibles
B - an uncursed partly eaten K-ration
P - 9 blessed K-rations
V - an uncursed sprig of wolfsbane
X - 2 uncursed lizard corpses
Spellbooks
Z - the cursed Book of the Dead
Rings
f - an uncursed ring of levitation
D - an uncursed ring of teleport control (on right hand)
Wands
l - a wand of digging (4)
m - a cursed wand of digging (4)
r - a cursed wand of digging (3)
E - a cursed wand of teleportation (3)
G - a wand of digging (7)
K - a cursed wand of teleportation (3)
L - a wand of death (2)
S - a wand of death (3)
Y - a wand of death (2)
Tools
c - an uncursed stethoscope
d - the blessed Bell of Opening (1)
h - a magic marker named charged (42)
i - the blessed Candelabrum of Invocation
j - a cursed skeleton key
u - a blessed +0 unicorn horn
w - a cursed towel
R - an uncursed oilskin sack
Gems
b - an uncursed sapphire
e - 3 uncursed dilithium crystals
n - 2 uncursed emeralds
o - 3 cursed jade stones
t - 2 uncursed rubies
x - 2 uncursed diamonds
y - 2 uncursed amber stones
z - an uncursed aquamarine stone
A - a cursed topaz stone
I - a cursed luckstone
(3 of 3)
Contents of the bag of holding:
26 uncursed K-rations
an uncursed ruby
an uncursed amethyst stone
an uncursed turquoise stone
a blessed tallow candle
the blessed Orb of Fate (0)
an uncursed jasper stone
an uncursed aquamarine stone
a blessed scroll of charging
an uncursed garnet stone
an uncursed amethyst stone
an uncursed topaz stone
an uncursed scroll of charging
a +0 crysknife
4 uncursed dilithium crystals
3 uncursed opals
17 uncursed rubies
21 uncursed emeralds
20 uncursed fluorite stones
11 uncursed jade stones
an uncursed emerald
2 uncursed turquoise stones
12 uncursed diamonds
an uncursed amber stone
an uncursed garnet stone
11 uncursed sapphires
an uncursed turquoise stone
3 uncursed amethyst stones
12 uncursed jasper stones
4 uncursed garnet stones
5 potions of holy water
12 blessed scrolls of blank paper
an uncursed scroll of identify
an uncursed potion of object detection
an uncursed scroll of magic mapping
an uncursed potion of confusion
a wand of wishing (2)
a blessed scroll of charging
7 blessed scrolls of blank paper
a blessed scroll of identify
an uncursed +0 mummy wrapping
a rusty +1 long sword
a wand of digging (8)
a wand of digging (4)
a wand of digging (4)
a wand of digging (5)
a wand of digging (5)
a wand of polymorph (6)
a wand of digging (3)
a wand of digging (6)
a wand of digging (5)
a wand of digging (7)
a wand of polymorph (0)
a blessed scroll of remove curse
an uncursed scroll of genocide
a +0 pick-axe
an uncursed scroll of blank paper
a blessed scroll of blank paper
4 cursed scrolls of blank paper
2 uncursed lizard corpses
an uncursed sprig of wolfsbane
a blessed wand of polymorph (0)
a wand of wishing named charged (3)
a +0 unicorn horn
a +0 unicorn horn
Final Attributes:
You were piously aligned.
You were telepathic.
You could teleport.
You had teleport control.
You saw invisible.
You were invisible to others.
You were very fast.
You were stealthy.
You were poison resistant.
You were fire resistant.
You were cold resistant.
You were shock resistant.
You were sleep resistant.
You were disintegration-resistant.
Your life would have been saved.
You were protected.
You had reflection.
You were magic-protected.
You were very lucky.
You had reduced luck.
Bad luck did not time out for you.
You survived.
Vanquished creatures:
Orcus
Yeenoghu
Juiblex
The Wizard of Yendor (10 times)
Death (4 times)
Pestilence (3 times)
Famine
a high priest
Medusa
Croesus
9 iron golems
a ki-rin
6 balrogs
10 purple worms
2 gray dragons
8 red dragons
8 white dragons
6 orange dragons
5 black dragons
6 blue dragons
5 green dragons
6 yellow dragons
27 minotaurs
5 jabberwocks
Lord Surtur
7 baluchitheria
13 Angels
Vlad the Impaler
6 stone golems
15 Olog-hai
8 Nazguls
15 pit fiends
a hell hound
8 titanotheres
6 trappers
a baby black dragon
a guardian naga
34 vampire lords
4 skeletons
28 aligned priests
14 captains
6 shades
4 liches
7 water trolls
6 clay golems
10 nurses
14 ice devils
3 nalfeshnees
13 lurkers above
3 Aleaxes
9 frost giants
15 ettins
25 black puddings
25 vampires
11 lieutenants
65 ghosts
a barbarian
an elf
a priest
2 queen bees
7 winged gargoyles
5 mind flayers
11 giant mimics
11 zruties
42 fire giants
3 ice trolls
6 rock trolls
6 umber hulks
10 flesh golems
8 Elvenkings
28 hezrous
24 bone devils
10 large mimics
2 wumpuses
5 fire vortices
a baby long worm
a baby purple worm
14 long worms
6 couatls
3 air elementals
7 fire elementals
4 earth elementals
19 water elementals
5 hill giants
20 stalkers
2 giant mummies
5 black nagas
8 xorns
18 giant zombies
28 elf-lords
24 sergeants
a water demon
6 barbed devils
21 vrocks
5 salamanders
23 wargs
10 winter wolves
11 hell hound pups
29 small mimics
10 steam vortices
24 xans
5 ettin mummies
12 ogre lords
13 ogre kings
17 quantum mechanics
40 trolls
3 sasquatches
5 wood golems
5 erinyes
3 mariliths
15 gelatinous cubes
2 large dogs
12 freezing spheres
3 large cats
8 tigers
10 gargoyles
3 dwarf kings
4 tengu
16 ochre jellies
10 leocrottas
4 energy vortices
9 mountain centaurs
6 stone giants
6 elf mummies
12 human mummies
3 red nagas
4 pit vipers
5 pythons
a cobra
57 wraiths
8 carnivorous apes
22 ettin zombies
3 leather golems
23 Grey-elves
113 soldiers
a horned devil
5 succubi
3 incubi
14 chameleons
7 crocodiles
42 giant beetles
12 quivering blobs
31 cockatrices
20 wolves
17 gremlins
5 spotted jellies
11 leprechauns
3 orc-captains
9 iron piercers
5 mumakil
14 giant spiders
12 scorpions
8 ice vortices
16 black lights
13 vampire bats
10 forest centaurs
5 gnome kings
4 orc mummies
15 ogres
4 brown puddings
17 rust monsters
23 owlbears
6 yetis
7 werewolves
15 Green-elves
7 giant eels
15 lizards
2 warriors
3 dogs
3 housecats
11 jaguars
4 dwarf lords
9 blue jellies
3 white unicorns
2 black unicorns
7 dust vortices
2 plains centaurs
a Kop Kaptain
3 gnome mummies
7 snakes
4 water moccasins
8 apes
34 human zombies
10 rope golems
16 Woodland-elves
32 soldier ants
66 fire ants
33 bugbears
2 imps
7 lemures
8 quasits
6 wood nymphs
11 water nymphs
8 mountain nymphs
43 Mordor orcs
17 Uruk-hai
5 orc shamans
21 rock piercers
8 rock moles
11 fog clouds
14 yellow lights
2 shriekers
6 violet fungi
17 gnome lords
5 gnomish wizards
5 Kop Lieutenants
4 kobold mummies
a guardian naga hatchling
9 gray oozes
6 barrow wights
29 elf zombies
a straw golem
a baby crocodile
48 giant ants
5 little dogs
15 floating eyes
2 kittens
27 dwarves
6 homunculi
3 kobold lords
14 hill orcs
24 rothes
2 rabid rats
10 giant bats
17 Kop Sergeants
20 orc zombies
3 wererats
3 werejackals
15 iguanas
96 killer bees
3 acid blobs
6 hobbits
20 manes
3 large kobolds
7 kobold shamans
36 hobgoblins
11 giant rats
6 cave spiders
4 brown molds
7 yellow molds
2 green molds
2 red molds
43 gnomes
45 Keystone Kops
9 garter snakes
14 gnome zombies
10 geckos
13 jackals
8 kobolds
16 goblins
4 sewer rats
23 grid bugs
2 bats
23 kobold zombies
16 newts
2983 creatures vanquished.
Genocided species:
hobbits
dwarves
bugbears
dwarf lords
dwarf kings
mind flayers
liches
demiliches
master liches
giant eels
electric eels
krakens
12 species genocided.
--More--
Goodbye Elwing the Demigoddess...
You went to your reward with 5128842 points,
24 emeralds (worth 60000 zorkmids),
20 rubies (worth 70000 zorkmids),
20 fluorite stones (worth 8000 zorkmids),
14 diamonds (worth 56000 zorkmids),
14 jade stones (worth 4200 zorkmids),
13 jasper stones (worth 6500 zorkmids),
12 sapphires (worth 36000 zorkmids),
7 dilithium crystals (worth 31500 zorkmids),
6 garnet stones (worth 4200 zorkmids),
5 amethyst stones (worth 3000 zorkmids),
4 turquoise stones (worth 8000 zorkmids),
3 amber stones (worth 3000 zorkmids),
3 opals (worth 2400 zorkmids),
2 aquamarine stones (worth 3000 zorkmids),
2 topaz stones (worth 1800 zorkmids),
2 amulets of life saving (worth 300 zorkmids),
1 amulet of magical breathing (worth 150 zorkmids),
and 0 pieces of gold, after 122138 moves.
You were level 30 with a maximum of 297 hit points when you ascended.
1 5128842 Elwing-V ascended to demigoddess-hood. 229 [297]
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Copyright © 2004 by Steuard Jensen.