Nethack ascension #3
Neutral female human tourist
Introduction
I’ve heard that tourists are one of the most difficult roles to play in Nethack, so after my first two ascensions with samurai and wizard, I thought I was ready for a challenge. Well, in the beginning, playing tourist required “a bit” different approach from my last two roles. After reaching experience level 10 or so the game turned out to be quite similar to the previous ones.
In the beginning…
St:8 Dx:11 Co:18 In:14 Wi:7 Ch:18
It was a rough start. Period. I ran around, taking monsters down with darts, then daggers and finally with a flail I found. Reaching exp. level 5 I finally found an armor, an elvish mithril coat - not a bad armor for level 5 player. So there I was, running around, trying to save +2 darts for tougher monsters while trying to stay alive among those were-creatures that always summoned help.
After gaining some experience in dungeons of doom, I had collected some scrolls of create monsters. I went back to level 3 where there was a neutral altar and started reading the scrolls one by one. The first one summoned a bunch of monsters and I had to teleport away to stay alive. After taking the monsters down from a distance, I continued my efforts to get a decent weapon. To my surprise, after third monster sacrificed, I received Vorpal Blade. This would be my weapon for this adventure.
Gnomish mine
Descending was quite slow although I had my armor and my weapon. My cats kept dying for a reason or for another. Not having a magic whistle didn’t help either. From time to time I ascended back to dungeons of doom to heal, I even visited Sokoban at level 10. Leaving the treasure zoo and the price untouched, I returned to gnomish mines and went for the luck stone.
Gnomish town was kind of disappointing - nothing for me - I even got the candles in advance. No lamps, to bags… nothing. And a lawful altar. At this time I had AC of -3, but the only “useful” armor I had was cloak of invisibility. Getting the luck stone was faster than I expected - I managed to avoid the first level teleport. After getting the luck stone I went back to Sokoban to get my bag of holding.
Fort Ludios
Before going on to the quest, I had already descended my way through to Medusa, where invisible titan and his fellows blocked my way. I decided to do something about my AC so I went looking for Fort Ludios. I was prepared to leave the place to be raided later as my last game ended as black dragon disintegrated me. This time, though, there were no black dragons around. I took care of the soldiers and got a silver dragon scale mail and a T-Shirt to replace my mithril coat and Hawaiian shirt (I just didn’t want to walk around in a Hawaiian short ;-).
Croesus was tougher than I expected. Last time I was in Fort Ludios I used ring of conflict to get rid of the population inside - this time I didn’t have such ring nor will to do so. I needed all the experience there was available. Croesus hit me hard, doing some 20 damage per hit. At first, he almost got me killed as I rushed inside leaving Croesus and door back out behind. Luckily, I was faster than him so I managed to get past. Taking Croesus down outside the castle was easy with the daggers. I looted the treasure hold and went to see a priest at level 12.
The Quest
After reaching exp. level 14 I was already on my way to The Quest. I cleaned level after another, collecting most of the stuff to be sold. With all the money I got, I bought all scrolls, potions and rings I found. When I was cleaning the graveyard at Home 2, two wraiths left corpses so gaining next two levels was quite painless.
Nemesis wasn’t too difficult either. After reaching the last Quest level, I blocked stairs up with a scroll of earth. I cleaned the level, freed the prisoners, fixed my equipment and went talking to the Nemesis. After the first hit, Master of Thieves teleported, as expected, next to the stairs. I followed him and took him down. He could no nothing but zap his wand of create monsters, which didn’t help him much. In no time, the place was littered with corpses plus Platinum Yendorian Express Card and the Bell of Opening.
Medusa and the castle
This time I was more experienced and had a little better armor than the last time so taking care of my friends at Medusa’s island was easy. The only slowdown was that I had to ascend back to level 10 to get some projectiles to get across the waters. I mean, I had ring of levitation but no mean to kill the sea monsters. I blindfolded myself and turned Medusa into stone with a mirror. As expected, I got shield of reflection from statue of Perseus. Next thing would be to get disintegration resistance. Can’t remember where I got my cloak of magic resistance.
I smashed the drawbridge with wand of striking, then made a bridge of ice
inside the castle. Got the wand of wishes and wished for speed boots, gauntlets
of dexterity and scrolls of genocide. Genocided ‘L’s, ‘h’s and ‘R’s. I
used magic marker to write the third scroll. I killed the dragons inside and
ate the black one getting disintegration resistance. There was nothing else
useful in the castle so I jumped down to the Valley of Dead.
Gehennom
I descended quickly as Vorpal Blade beheaded Asmodeus, Baalzebub and Orcus. They never really had a change as the usually fell after my fifth strike. Oh well, I sure wouldn’t complain. I killed Vlad, got the book and descended to the bottom. Burned Elbereth on floor and dropped scroll of scare monsters to make sure the stuff were left alone. I left Candelabrum and Bell there and ascended back to my stash at level 10 to get ready for the Wizard.
With Orcus’ wand of death (which he only used twice) Wizard of Yendor didn’t live too long. I collected the Book and went down to vibrating square. I left my two cats behind as I descended to the sanctuary. Getting the Amulet was easy for some reason, not much resistance, really. I left quite a pile of stuff behind as I couldn’t carry this much without being burdened.
Ascending back up was, too, easy. I got teleported down only twice. I don’t know how, but I lost the other of my cats somehow. On my way up Neko #6 polymorphed into an owlbear. Bleh. I threw potion of polymorph at her and she turned to wraith. This would do. After ascending some levels, though, I noticed that she didn’t do too well taking the blows. I threw another potion at her and she turned into a skeleton.
Preparing for the planes
While getting my stuff ready at my stash I decided to use unused scrolls of enchant weapons to enchant my souvenirs like Cleaver. Being too excited, I tried to wield the Cleaver reading the scroll without really noticing the message about me wearing a shield at the same time. Poff. My +7 Vortal Blade evaporated. Great. Just great.
I used wand of wishing to get a new weapon. First I wished for a blessed +2 Grayswandir. I didn’t know what was going on when I thought I was holding something but then it vanished. I thought I simply wasn’t allowed to wish for such Artifact weapon so I tried again, this time wishing for blessed Magicbane. The same happened again. Having one more wish, I remembered that carrying the Amulet had some side-effects. I dropped the Amulet and used my last wish to get a Magicbane. This time everything went fine, I even managed to enchant Magicbane +7 with scrolls of enchant weapon I wrote.
End game
I ascended to the plane of earth where I zapped the Wizard with wand of death. The portal was almost next to me - I got there with the wand Elvenking left behind at the beginning of the level. My skeleton didn’t do too well at Plane of Air as he couldn’t levitate. I tried my best to keep monsters away from him, throwing potions of healing at him from time to time, but I couldn’t keep him from falling. Portal here wasn’t too difficult to find. Planes of fire and water were also quite easy. At plane of fire Archon appeared only once and I killed him with only a few blows.
With my angel, I headed to the temple at right. I got past Death with wand of magic missiles. Somehow everything was easier than when playing samurai or wizard. Perhaps it was armor. Anyway, I fought my way to the altar, which turned out to be lawful. Humm, could it be that alter in the middle was always neutral?
Getting past Death wasn’t as easy as it was the last time. This time there weren’t as many priests to summon insects. While clearing the way, my anger got herself killed although I still kept throwing potions of healing at her. Next I would face for the altar in the middle which was guarded by Pestilence. I killed Pestilence with wand of Death and went in. This altar would be it. One more thing to do: I took scroll of taming from the bag and tamed first dragon I came by. Offered the Amulet to the Lady.
Final words
Playing as tourist was much easier than I expected. This is probably because my previous experience on Nethack and because I finally realized that one could wear a T-shirt under a body armor… After all, burdened samurai with AC -31 is more likely to get hit than unburdened tourist with AC -47… Perhaps I should start playing Omega.
There is an altar to The Lady (neutral) here.
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Wind the Adventurer St:18/** Dx:23 Co:18 In:23 Wi:23 Ch:18 Neutral
Astral Plane $:2 HP:220(223) Pw:199(199) AC:-47 Exp:30
You offer the Amulet of Yendor to The Lady...--More--
An invisible choir sings, and you are bathed in radiance...--More--
The voice of The Lady booms out: "Congratulations, mortal!"--More--
"In return for thy service, I grant thee the gift of Immortality!"--More--
You ascend to the status of Demigoddess...--More--
Do you want your possessions identified? [ynq] (n)
Amulets
u - a blessed amulet of life saving (being worn)
N - a blessed amulet of life saving
Weapons
U - the blessed +7 Magicbane (weapon in hand)
Armor
b - a blessed +4 shield of reflection (being worn)
e - a blessed +4 silver dragon scale mail (being worn)
j - a blessed fireproof +5 cloak of magic resistance (being worn)
n - a blessed rustproof +5 helm of brilliance (being worn)
F - a blessed fireproof +5 pair of speed boots (being worn)
Q - a blessed fireproof +5 pair of gauntlets of dexterity (being worn)
Y - a blessed fireproof +5 T-shirt (being worn)
Comestibles
g - 7 uncursed lumps of royal jelly
Spellbooks
f - the blessed Book of the Dead
Potions
A - 2 uncursed potions of full healing
W - 3 uncursed potions of extra healing
Rings
d - a blessed +1 ring of increase damage (on right hand)
v - a blessed ring of free action (on left hand)
I - an uncursed ring of levitation
Wands
k - a wand of magic missile (0:4)
m - a wand of magic missile (1:6)
w - a blessed wand of death (1:4)
V - a wand of magic missile (0:7)
Tools
p - a blessed magic whistle
q - the blessed Candelabrum of Invocation (7 candles attached)
r - a blessed stethoscope
t - a blessed +0 unicorn horn
x - a blessed bag of holding named #1
y - a blessed bag of holding named #2
z - a blessed tinning kit (0:91)
K - the blessed Bell of Opening (0:0)
L - the blessed Platinum Yendorian Express Card
T - a blessed blindfold
Gems
Z - a blessed luckstone
Contents of the bag of holding named #1:
an uncursed food ration
7 uncursed lumps of royal jelly
an uncursed jasper stone
a blessed wand of death (0:7)
a wand of digging (0:8)
a wand of digging (0:7)
a wand of digging (0:7)
a wand of digging (0:7)
4 uncursed food rations
an uncursed ring of conflict
11 uncursed obsidian stones
2 uncursed flint stones
3 uncursed fluorite stones
7 uncursed black opals
10 uncursed amber stones
an uncursed jacinth stone
7 uncursed opals
4 uncursed aquamarine stones
6 uncursed topaz stones
4 uncursed garnet stones
5 uncursed amethyst stones
3 uncursed jade stones
3 uncursed dilithium crystals
4 uncursed jasper stones
21 uncursed sapphires
7 uncursed turquoise stones
13 uncursed emeralds
a wand of death (2:5)
5 uncursed chrysoberyl stones
10 uncursed agate stones
10 uncursed diamonds
4 uncursed citrine stones
9 uncursed rubies
a blessed wand of death (0:8)
11 blessed scrolls of blank paper
an uncursed luckstone
4 uncursed potions of healing
4 cursed potions of extra healing
11 potions of holy water
a cursed potion of full healing
2 uncursed potions of full healing
2 blessed potions of full healing
a blessed scroll of remove curse
a blessed scroll of fire
an uncursed scroll of charging
an uncursed scroll of fire
3 uncursed scrolls of blank paper
an uncursed ring of slow digestion
4 uncursed slime molds
an uncursed sprig of wolfsbane
an uncursed skeleton key
Contents of the bag of holding named #2:
a blessed scroll of taming
a wand of magic missile (0:7)
a wand of digging (0:6)
a blessed wand of digging (0:6)
a wand of digging (0:6)
a wand of digging (0:6)
7 blessed scrolls of blank paper
an uncursed luckstone
a blessed luckstone
a wand of death (0:4)
an uncursed lembas wafer
6 uncursed food rations
an uncursed clove of garlic
an uncursed sprig of wolfsbane
an uncursed ring of conflict
an uncursed ring of levitation
an uncursed blindfold
a blessed +0 unicorn horn
an uncursed magic whistle
a magic marker (0:82)
4 uncursed potions of extra healing
3 uncursed potions of full healing
a blessed potion of full healing
6 potions of holy water
Do you want to see your attributes? [ynq] (n)
Final Attributes:
You were piously aligned.
You were fire resistant.
You were cold resistant.
You were sleep resistant.
You were disintegration-resistant.
You were shock resistant.
You were poison resistant.
You were magic-protected.
You saw invisible.
You were telepathic.
You had automatic searching.
You were invisible to others.
You were stealthy.
You could teleport.
You had teleport control.
You had a +1 damage bonus.
You were protected.
You were very fast.
You had reflection.
You had free action.
Your life would have been saved.
You were extremely lucky.
You had extra luck.
Good luck did not time out for you.
You survived.
Do you want an account of creatures vanquished? [ynq] (n)
Vanquished creatures:
Asmodeus
Baalzebub
Orcus
Juiblex
The Wizard of Yendor (5 times)
Death
Pestilence
a high priest
5 mastodons
Medusa
Croesus
10 krakens
The Master of Thieves
an Archon
10 iron golems
a ki-rin
6 storm giants
a titan
3 glass golems
3 balrogs
8 purple worms
2 gray dragons
2 silver dragons
8 red dragons
8 white dragons
3 orange dragons
9 black dragons
6 blue dragons
7 green dragons
23 minotaurs
6 jabberwocks
11 baluchitheria
8 Angels
Vlad the Impaler
11 stone golems
a master mind flayer
24 Olog-hai
a Nazgul
10 pit fiends
3 sandestins
8 hell hounds
4 titanotheres
7 trappers
a baby silver dragon
4 guardian nagas
a disenchanter
31 vampire lords
6 skeletons
18 aligned priests
13 captains
6 shades
3 liches
5 clay golems
19 nurses
6 ice devils
4 nalfeshnees
6 lurkers above
5 Aleaxes
7 frost giants
9 ettins
3 golden nagas
29 black puddings
39 vampires
13 lieutenants
48 ghosts
a monk
2 queen bees
8 winged gargoyles
3 mind flayers
15 giant mimics
15 zruties
22 fire giants
13 ogre kings
13 ice trolls
20 rock trolls
8 umber hulks
10 flesh golems
8 Elvenkings
2 doppelgangers
6 hezrous
22 bone devils
16 large mimics
6 wumpuses
11 fire vortices
a baby long worm
a baby purple worm
6 long worms
10 couatls
20 stalkers
10 air elementals
22 fire elementals
12 earth elementals
15 water elementals
18 hill giants
2 giant mummies
5 black nagas
21 xorns
21 giant zombies
27 elf-lords
35 sergeants
2 water demons
11 barbed devils
14 vrocks
12 salamanders
30 wargs
4 winter wolves
12 hell hound pups
14 small mimics
7 glass piercers
8 warhorses
9 steam vortices
25 xans
10 ettin mummies
13 ogre lords
17 quantum mechanics
48 trolls
7 sasquatches
10 wood golems
3 erinyes
8 mariliths
3 djinn
4 sharks
6 electric eels
13 gelatinous cubes
6 pyrolisks
2 large dogs
8 freezing spheres
15 flaming spheres
8 shocking spheres
9 large cats
22 tigers
10 gargoyles
6 dwarf kings
11 tengu
26 ochre jellies
16 leocrottas
10 energy vortices
10 mountain centaurs
15 stone giants
4 elf mummies
10 human mummies
10 red nagas
5 green slimes
15 pit vipers
4 pythons
27 cobras
77 wraiths
4 carnivorous apes
38 ettin zombies
9 leather golems
19 Grey-elves
120 soldiers
2 watchmen
8 horned devils
6 succubi
18 incubi
14 chameleons
4 crocodiles
37 giant beetles
6 quivering blobs
47 cockatrices
36 wolves
20 winter wolf cubs
2 lynxes
7 panthers
38 gremlins
6 spotted jellies
17 leprechauns
13 orc-captains
13 iron piercers
4 mumakil
158 giant spiders
33 scorpions
8 horses
9 ice vortices
16 black lights
18 vampire bats
44 forest centaurs
10 gnome kings
10 orc mummies
5 dwarf mummies
11 ogres
20 brown puddings
13 rust monsters
20 owlbears
12 yetis
7 gold golems
10 werewolves
26 Green-elves
4 piranhas
15 giant eels
28 lizards
20 chickatrices
6 dogs
11 dingos
9 housecats
12 jaguars
8 dwarf lords
16 blue jellies
10 white unicorns
8 black unicorns
16 dust vortices
15 ravens
12 plains centaurs
2 Kop Kaptains
13 gnome mummies
18 snakes
2 water moccasins
11 apes
31 human zombies
6 rope golems
17 Woodland-elves
64 soldier ants
17 fire ants
14 bugbears
5 imps
7 lemures
16 quasits
15 wood nymphs
10 water nymphs
10 mountain nymphs
35 Mordor orcs
27 Uruk-hai
7 orc shamans
15 rock piercers
12 rock moles
12 ponies
11 fog clouds
18 yellow lights
7 shriekers
10 violet fungi
30 gnome lords
12 gnomish wizards
4 Kop Lieutenants
7 kobold mummies
2 black naga hatchlings
a golden naga hatchling
10 gray oozes
5 barrow wights
27 elf zombies
17 ghouls
5 straw golems
10 paper golems
5 jellyfish
a baby crocodile
74 giant ants
5 little dogs
33 floating eyes
9 kittens
33 dwarves
9 homunculi
4 kobold lords
8 kobold shamans
51 hill orcs
55 rothes
4 rabid rats
10 centipedes
9 giant bats
4 monkeys
21 orc zombies
29 dwarf zombies
2 wererats
8 werejackals
24 iguanas
114 killer bees
16 acid blobs
12 coyotes
6 gas spores
9 hobbits
30 manes
a large kobold
25 hobgoblins
26 giant rats
51 cave spiders
3 brown molds
11 yellow molds
4 green molds
6 red molds
75 gnomes
7 Keystone Kops
21 garter snakes
20 gnome zombies
15 geckos
23 jackals
7 foxes
7 kobolds
12 goblins
8 sewer rats
35 grid bugs
7 bats
16 lichens
17 kobold zombies
16 newts
4193 creatures vanquished.
Do you want a list of species genocided? [ynq] (n)
Genocided species:
hobbits
dwarves
bugbears
dwarf lords
dwarf kings
mind flayers
master mind flayers
liches
demiliches
master liches
arch-liches
rust monsters
disenchanters
jellyfish
piranhas
sharks
giant eels
electric eels
krakens
19 species genocided.
Do you want to see your conduct? [ynq] (n)
Voluntary challenges:
You genocided 19 types of monsters.
You never changed form.
You used 10 wishes.
Aloha wind the Demigoddess...
You and the red dragon
went to your reward with 5898376 points,
The Book of the Dead (worth 10000 zorkmids and 25000 points)
The Candelabrum of Invocation (worth 5000 zorkmids and 12500 points)
The Bell of Opening (worth 5000 zorkmids and 12500 points)
The Platinum Yendorian Express Card (worth 7000 zorkmids and 17500 points)
Magicbane (worth 3500 zorkmids and 8750 points)
21 sapphires (worth 63000 zorkmids),
13 emeralds (worth 32500 zorkmids),
11 obsidian stones (worth 2200 zorkmids),
10 diamonds (worth 40000 zorkmids),
10 amber stones (worth 10000 zorkmids),
10 agate stones (worth 2000 zorkmids),
9 rubies (worth 31500 zorkmids),
7 black opals (worth 17500 zorkmids),
7 turquoise stones (worth 14000 zorkmids),
7 opals (worth 5600 zorkmids),
6 topaz stones (worth 5400 zorkmids),
5 chrysoberyl stones (worth 3500 zorkmids),
5 amethyst stones (worth 3000 zorkmids),
5 jasper stones (worth 2500 zorkmids),
4 citrine stones (worth 6000 zorkmids),
4 aquamarine stones (worth 6000 zorkmids),
4 garnet stones (worth 2800 zorkmids),
3 dilithium crystals (worth 13500 zorkmids),
3 fluorite stones (worth 1200 zorkmids),
3 jade stones (worth 900 zorkmids),
1 jacinth stone (worth 3250 zorkmids),
2 amulets of life saving (worth 300 zorkmids),
and 2 pieces of gold, after 118841 moves.
You were level 30 with a maximum of 223 hit points when you ascended.
You made the top ten list!
No Points Name Hp [max]
3 5898376 wind-Tou-Hum-Fem-Neu ascended to demigoddess-hood. 220 [223]
You were level 30 with a maximum of 250 hit points when you ascended.