Peaceful Takeover of Glod's Forge & more

[novapsyche]

Hi everyone! Long time reader, first time poster. I was around for the early days of ADOM (circa 1995) and have only recently returned to this glorious game. I've even hooked my significant other; we play side by side.

So I'm playing a druid for the first time (male, gray elf). I managed to make it to the Cat Lord without upsetting him. Before that, I was fortunate enough to pickpocket bracers of war as well as Ironfist. My deity crowned me with Nature's Friend, sad to say, but other than that nearly everything has been on my side of luck. I've since found a trove of artifacts, including Preserver.

I don't have enough character kills to generate the bug-infested temple, but I've visited every other location on the upper map. I managed to complete ToEF without a ring of ice (took two blessed fireproof blankets). I've descended to level 43 of the CoC. The only major item I lost in the air temple was my manual of bridge building.

My most significant error was trying to buy something in Waldenbrook's shop while forgetting I had the random teleportation corruption while without teleport control. *sigh* However, as I am crowned by a neutral deity, I don't want to experience a knock to my alignment. So I've been invisible when entering Dwarftown ever since.

So, I've gone through the whole game without a usable forge. The unremarkable dungeon did not have any, and the only one I've been able to find randomly was deep, deep in the CoC (somewhere around lvl 32). I'd found an anvil (a floating eye was carrying it!) and have a hammer. So, of course, I began thinking about how I could kill Glod. I've done so with another, wildly chaotic character (dark elf healer) but again, for this game, I didn't want to be a fallen champion.

Finally, I came up with a solution: I would slow Glod, then build a fortress of locked doors around him. Anyone else try this?

Another thing that I found out this game: either a dark sage or a black wizard (I believe the former) cursed me! I knew that hags could curse items in one's inventory, but this was the first time I'd ever encountered a monster that could curse my character. It was definitely odd to see via Revelation that I was lucky, Fate smiled upon me, and was cursed simultaneously.

Well, I don't want to bore you further, so I will close with this: I found three rings of djinni summoning during my course of the game. My first wish I asked for SoCR (of course). The second I used for a GoGS (mainly because I don't have access to Strength of Atlas; and thank goodness I chose this item, because I never would have been able to lug my moloch armor home). I've combed through previous posts about other things to request, and the consensus seems to be SLBs. My speed is over 200; should I still consider them? Other ideas so far include scrolls of education or more SoCR.

Thanks for your time.

EDIT: I meant to add: As a druid, I automatically avoid killing any neutral animal, including ants. An ant level generated right before Dwarftown, so I effectually have an ant farm wandering the entire map (except for the wand shop in the corner). It's been fantastic for pretty much all the ore I possess. I don't suppose there's a way to tame ants? I'd love to dispense one any- and everywhere.

[Soirana]

just took him of level.

I suggest casting/zapping stun wand at him letting him chase down the level and thank kill him.

Well, you can tp him out of room and switch him to stairs but that is less funny option for me.

[novapsyche]

Thanks, Soirana. Just wondering, though: isn't killing any dwarf, they being lawful creatures, risking alignment drop? Angering the townsfolk isn't a concern, as I'm invisible whenever I travel through anyhow.

[JellySlayer]

Out of curiousity, why, exactly, do you plan on smithing? It sounds to me like you should be able to win the game very, very, easily at this point without smithing.

As to your questions:
-I'd suggest killing Glod with a pet. This shouldn't cause any problems for the town. If you shoot passed him with an arrow, or piss him off with a wand, you can probably pull him to another level as Soirana suggests.
-If you don't have it, you should wish for Spellbooks of Rain of Sorrows (acid ball). 7lbs totally unnecessary if you've got over 200 speed. I don't know how many SoCR you've got, but if you're going for a regular gate closer ending, you don't need more than a handful. Wishing for them is probably a waste at this point (I'd consider wishing for them to almost always be a waste, TBH... there's more than enough ingame).
-Green hags, annis hags, black wizards and a few other monsters can curse. I seem to remember reading that you can stop this by dropping your gold, but haven't tested in detail. If you are cursed, there is a rare chance that they can doom, in fact.

[novapsyche]

Out of curiousity, why, exactly, do you plan on smithing? It sounds to me like you should be able to win the game very, very, easily at this point without smithing.

You think so? That's quite reassuring. I've never beaten the game, and this is the first character I've had even come close. In fact, this is the only character I've had that legitimately has survived this far.

I guess I would feel remiss if I didn't attempt some smithing, considering that I've spent points on the skill during the course of the game. But you're right, it's probably not necessary.

As to your questions:
-I'd suggest killing Glod with a pet. This shouldn't cause any problems for the town. If you shoot passed him with an arrow, or piss him off with a wand, you can probably pull him to another level as Soirana suggests.

That's actually an idea. I do have Hawkslayer as a companion, though lately I've been adventuring solo. The main problem I have with Hawk is that he doesn't naturally follow me if I'm invisible, or at least he doesn't seem to be able to. So I'm not sure how I could coax him to the smithy.

-If you don't have it, you should wish for Spellbooks of Rain of Sorrows (acid ball). 7lbs totally unnecessary if you've got over 200 speed. I don't know how many SoCR you've got, but if you're going for a regular gate closer ending, you don't need more than a handful. Wishing for them is probably a waste at this point (I'd consider wishing for them to almost always be a waste, TBH... there's more than enough ingame).

Ah, right! I guess I didn't even think about ball spells, since it doesn't seem like druids can find them normally. Thanks for the suggestion. (I have IIRC seven SoCR left, and I still have yet to dispatch the greater black unicorn.)

-Green hags, annis hags, black wizards and a few other monsters can curse. I seem to remember reading that you can stop this by dropping your gold, but haven't tested in detail. If you are cursed, there is a rare chance that they can doom, in fact.

Huh. Dropping gold? I learn something every day. I wonder what it is, flavor-wise, that would make them do such a thing--are they angry or envious at one's prosperity?

[JellySlayer]

You think so? That's quite reassuring. I've never beaten the game, and this is the first character I've had even come close. In fact, this is the only character I've had that legitimately has survived this far.

Can you press ) ingame and make a .vlg for us to check out? I'm just going off what you've told us, but if you've got preserver, kitty ring, level 43 and 200 speed, I doubt there's much that can hurt you. Have you done Mana Temple? (Make sure you have death ray resist when you do it!)

That's actually an idea. I do have Hawkslayer as a companion, though lately I've been adventuring solo. The main problem I have with Hawk is that he doesn't naturally follow me if I'm invisible, or at least he doesn't seem to be able to. So I'm not sure how I could coax him to the smithy.

The main problem is probably just that you are really, really fast. Companions tend to fall behind and get lost quite easily with you being twice their speed. I don't think invis should have an effect. You could try using a scroll of familiar summoning in dwarven halls, if you've got one.

Ah, right! I guess I didn't even think about ball spells, since it doesn't seem like druids can find them normally. Thanks for the suggestion. (I have IIRC seven SoCR left, and I still have yet to dispatch the greater black unicorn.)

That should be tons. More SoCR will almost certainly be unused at this point.

Huh. Dropping gold? I learn something every day. I wonder what it is, flavor-wise, that would make them do such a thing--are they angry or envious at one's prosperity?

If I remember correctly, the algorithm picks an item "type" from your inventory to curse: shields, helmets, food, etc. If there's nothing in that group, then it tries again. If it hits gold, then it gets redirected to the PC since gold can't (normally) be cursed, but if you have no gold, then that slot gets skipped. I haven't tested this in detail myself, but that's what I've heard.

[Maul]

EDIT: I meant to add: As a druid, I automatically avoid killing any neutral animal, including ants. An ant level generated right before Dwarftown, so I effectually have an ant farm wandering the entire map (except for the wand shop in the corner). It's been fantastic for pretty much all the ore I possess. I don't suppose there's a way to tame ants? I'd love to dispense one any- and everywhere.

As a druid, no. Not without the music skill. (Don't waste a wish on it.) You could take up several ants to the level before and then you'd have two levels getting mined out by the ants.

Also, if the whole Dwarftown is hostile, then luring Glod down the stairs via taking your invisibility off temporarily should work well.

[novapsyche]

I found that Glod still wanted his rent money even if walled away. So I stunned him and led him off the level.

I actually took care of two birds with one stone: Waldenbrook wanted to follow, too. I brought both of them below Dwarftown, lured them into a hallway, then teleported away and locked all nearby doors. As the up and down staircases are adjacent, I need never encounter those dwarves again.

Thanks for all the helpful advice!

[blob]

Why don't you just pay the dwarf? You've already been down to the casino right? Still interersting to know good ways to lure him away early-game of course.

[gut]

> Why don't you just pay the dwarf?

because his game was in june