Shattered

Moving through the dungeon mazes again, making better progress than before now that I have the experience gained in the mines under my fedora. I go to exploring DL 4 with gusto.

I run across a goblin statue, and smash it on the way through. Statues in the dungeon have a small chance of being statue traps that will spawn the corresponding monster, or otherwise can contain items that you liberate by smashing (usually spellbooks). A priest with the stone to flesh spell can revert a statue to life as well. As an archaeologist I would take a penalty smashing historic statues, but those are labeled as “historic statue of __” and only appear on certain levels. Unfortunately, the goblin statue held nothing but rocks.

I am accosted by a trio of elves later on, which allows me to name one of the types of  random boots as elven and eat some delicious elf meat. Elven boots give stealth when worn, but I already have it so do not keep these. Elf corpses of any type can bestow the sleep resistance intrinsic so eating these is especially important. I eat two without receiving it, then tin the third for later.

Another wand in a room with a fountain. Engrave testing this one identifies it immediately, as a wand of light. That would have been useful in the mines, heh. Nothing else to find on this level, so moving down.

I hear the level sound before I even put on the blindfold, there’s a werewolf here. Were creatures are dangerous because their bite can cause lycanthropy, causing you to uncontrolled polymorph into werecreature form every few hundred turns. Wolves are especially dangerous because the werewolf animal form is large and causes you to break your body armor when you change. I’m avoiding this one for now, I don’t have a way to cure the disease without praying. luckily he’s in a locked room so avoidance is not an issue.

Wandering around what I can of DL 5 is a little boring. The most exciting thing that happens is being engulfed by a dust vortex, which honestly isn’t that exciting really. When engulfed by a creature you take periodic damage but your weapon swings will always hit, so it can be a good way to train in an unskilled weapon for some players. I am dangerous with a mattock and bash my way out quickly. I find a couple scrolls, and a clear potion that is plain ordinary water.

Starting to feel self conscious about the cursed gear I’ve been wearing, and feeling the need to identify these scrolls identify scroll or no. I think I’ll turn around here and head back to minetown and see about doing so in the hopes of finding a remove curse scroll, or failing that praying on the altar for Camaxtli to help with the cursed stuff. Sometimes taking the time to put yourself in a bit better situation is the best way to keep yourself alive.

I make a pit stop on DL 3 to buy the stethoscope for sale in the hardware store. Was a bit worried about my alignment being so early in the game and wanted to make sure I was still on my god’s good side before I try praying. Applying a stethoscope at yourself gives a message about your status, which includes alignment and I am apparently pious which is good. A deep breath and I’m back on DL 2. Don’t forget to blindfold this time.

Telepathy reveals the demon, who is lurking outside the room with the upstairs but not moving otherwise. It also reveals something unexpected, a shopkeeper I had no idea was there. Neat. I’m still woefully underequipped to take on the demon so I move quickly back to the mines.

Next time; sundering, reading and swimming! Look forward to it!