Priest quest

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The Priest quest sees you fighting Nalzok for The Mitre of Holiness. For more information on the quest branch in general, see the quest article.

There are many wraiths encountered during this quest. Because the levels contain graveyards, wraiths will seldom leave corpses. However, you can lead a wraith upstairs by going up when the wraith is next to you. At the Great Temple, get the wraith to chase you back to the portal. Stand on the opposite side of the portal and the wraith will walk right in to it. Then step through the portal, kill the wraith back in the normal dungeon, and eat the corpse to possibly gain another experience level. The starting robe will protect against most level drain attacks, and a source of speed will allow the player to keep a safe distance most of the time. A patient priest(ess) can easily reach level 30 this way, though it does require a lot of nutrition to do all the walking (and the copious undead corpses don't help). You can also cast create monster next to or on the portal, and lure all wraiths that are created that way out easily.

Most of the undead created on this quest generate asleep in graveyards. Stealth is a good property to have, so that you can fight them one by one and at your own speed.

Wraiths and vampires generated in the graveyards have level drain attacks that should be avoided or mitigated. Magic cancellation will provide some resistance against this. Wielding Excalibur, Stormbringer, or the Staff of Aesculapius will provide full drain resistance; as will polymorphing into a drain resistant monster or gaining lycanthropy and either unchanging or polymorph control. Failing complete avoidance, quaffing a blessed potion of restore ability will restore your lost levels, while blessed potions of full healing can restore some lost levels. Eating a tripe ration will also give some immediate experience points which will bring you back to the level lost.

Home level The Great Temple
Locate level The Temple of Nalzok
Goal level Nalzok's Lair
Leader The Arch Priest
Guardians acolytes
Nemesis Nalzok
Quest Artifact The Mitre of Holiness

Levels

Random monsters on this Quest are generated with the following frequencies:

  • 96/175 (55%) human zombie
  • 24/175 (14%) random Z
  • 24/175 (14%) wraith
  • 6/175 (3%) random W
  • 1/7 (14%) normal random monster

The Great Temple

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....................|..------------..|--+-----+-----+--|....................
....................|..|..........|..|.................|....................
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..............Z...---..|........@@|......|...|...|.....|....................
.............Z....+.^..|...._.....+......|...|...|..>..|....................
..................+.^..|...(@.....+......|...|...|.....|...Z................
............Z.....---..|........@@|......|...|...|.....|....................
....................|..|........@@|..-+-----+---+---+--|....Z...............
....................|..|..........|..|.................|....................
....................|..------------..|--+-----+-----+--|....................
....................|................|.....|.....|.....|....................
....................------------------------------------....................
.Z..........................................................................
..................Z..................Z......................................
............................................................................

The two-way magic portal back to the Dungeons of Doom is at the marked point to top left. Each floor space in the 11 leftmost and rightmost columns (marked in green above), other than the portal, has a 10% chance of being a tree. The room with the unaligned altar is a desecrated temple lacking its aligned priest; the Arch Priest is next to the altar, and eight acolytes inhabit the room. There are twelve human zombies surrounding the Temple. In addition to the two marked dart traps inside the doors, there are four random other traps on the level.

The level is no-teleport and has an undiggable floor; the walls are also undiggable, but trees may be chopped down.

Upper filler level

This is an "ordinary" room-and-corridor level, with six rooms (two of which are graveyards). In addition to the usual undead and boxes in the graveyards, the level contains two human zombies and one wraith; nine random objects; and four random traps.

The Temple of Nalzok

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The above core of the level is surrounded by empty ground, containing the upstair a little way to the right of the mapped area. The unaligned temple has both its attendant priest of Moloch, with another hostile priest nearby. The entire mapped area outside the temple is a graveyard, filled with the usual assortment of undead. In addition to the boxes of the graveyard, the four corner chambers of the temple each contain four random objects (except the northwestern corner, which contains 3); each also contains a marked random trap, and there are two other random traps located in the mapped area. The entire level has undiggable walls and floor. Teleportation is permitted.

An effective way to clear the undead outside the Temple is to use use the #turn extended command - of course, one should be aware of live monsters sprinkled amongst the undead and be tanky enough to take a five turns worth of hits while incapacitated. The stairs can also be used to your advantage to funnel the hordes of undead through; be careful not to get surrounded too far from the upstairs. In addition, do not underestimate the hostile priest of Moloch - if you have no magic resistance, dispose of them before they have a chance to cast their clerical spells, and beware if they generate with a cloak of magic resistance.

Lower filler level(s)

These are "ordinary" room-and-corridor levels, with six rooms (three of which are graveyards). In addition to the usual undead and boxes in the graveyard, each level contains three human zombies and three wraiths; eleven random objects; and four random traps.

Nalzok's Lair

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The above core of the level is surrounded by empty lava plain. Nalzok, with the Bell of Opening and the Mitre of Holiness, is at one of the two points marked & (randomly chosen); also in the mapped area are sixteen human zombies, eight wraiths, two random ​Z, and one random ​W; fourteen random objects; four fire traps, and two other random traps. Teleportation is permitted.

Messages

Entry

First time:

You find yourself standing in sight of the Great Temple.  Something
is obviously wrong here.  The doors to the Great Temple, which usually
stand open, are closed.  Strange human shapes shamble around
outside.
You realize that the Arch Priest needs your assistance!

Next time:

Once again, you stand before the Great Temple.

If already rejected twice due to bad alignment:

Again you face the Great Temple.  Your intuition hints that this may be
the final time you come here.

Quest guardians

If #chatting before the quest is complete:

"Greetings, honored <currentrank>.  It is good to see you."
"Ah, <playername>!  Surely you can help us in our hour of need."
"Greetings, <brother|sister>.  The Arch Priest has great need of your help."
"Alas, it seems as if even <deity> has deserted us."
"May <deity> be with you, <brother|sister>."

If #chatting after the quest is complete:

"Greetings, <currentrank>.  It is good to see you again."
"Ah, <playername>!  Our deepest gratitude for all of your help."
"Welcome back, <brother|sister>!  With the Mitre of Holiness, no undead can stand against us."
"Praise be to <deity>, for delivering us from Nalzok."
"May <deity> be with you, <brother|sister>."

Quest leader

When you first meet your quest leader:

"Ah, <playername>, my <son|daughter>.  You have returned to us at last.
A great blow has befallen our order; perhaps you can help us.
First, however, I must determine if you are prepared for this
great challenge."

When you return, having been rejected due to lack of experience:

"Again, my <son|daughter>, you stand before me.  Are you ready now to help us?"

This message is not currently used:

"Once more, <playername>, you stand within the sanctum.  Are you ready now?"

When you are expelled from the quest for having failed the alignment test seven times:

"You are a heretic, <playername>!  How can you, a <currentrank>, deviate so from the
teachings of <deity>?  Begone from this temple.  You are no longer
a <brother|sister> to this order.  We will pray to <deity> for other assistance,
as you have failed us utterly."

When being rejected due to lack of experience:

"Alas, <playername>, it is not yet to be.  A mere <currentrank> could never
withstand the might of Nalzok.  Go forth, again into the world, and return
when you have attained the post of Curate."

When being rejected due to having worse than pious alignment:

"This is terrible, <playername>.  You have deviated from the true path!
You know that <deity> requires the most strident devotion of this
order.  The <brother|sister>hood must stand for utmost piety.
"Go from here, atone for your sins against <deity>.  Return only when
you have purified yourself."

When finally assigned the quest:

"Yes, <playername>.  You are truly ready now.  Attend to me and I shall
tell you of what has transpired:
"At one of the Great Festivals a short time ago, Nalzok and a legion
of undead invaded the Great Temple.  Many acolytes were killed, including
the one carrying the Mitre of Holiness.
"As a final act of vengefulness, Nalzok desecrated the altar here.
Without it, we could not mount a counter-attack.  Now, there are
barely enough acolytes left to keep the undead at bay.
"We need you to find the Temple of Nalzok, then, from there, travel
to Nalzok's lair.  If you can manage to defeat Nalzok and return
the Mitre of Holiness here, we can then drive off the legions of
undead that befoul the land.
"Go with <deity> as your guide, <playername>."

Encouragement

If you subsequently chat to your quest leader, you are encouraged:

"You can prevail, if you rely on <deity>."
"Remember that Nalzok has great magic at his command."
"Be pure, my <son|daughter>."
"Beware, the Temple of Nalzok is surrounded by a great graveyard."
"You may be able to affect Nalzok with magical cold."
"Acquire and wear the Mitre of Holiness if you can.  It will aid you
against Nalzok."
"Call upon <deity> when your need is greatest.  You will be answered."
"The undead legions are weakest during the daylight hours."
"Do not lose faith, <playername>.  If you do so, Nalzok will grow stronger."
"Wear the Mitre of Holiness.  It will assist you against the undead."

Locate and goal levels

When first entering the locate level:

You stand facing a large graveyard.  The sky above is filled with clouds
that seem to get thicker closer to the center.  You sense the presence of
undead in larger numbers than you have ever encountered before.
You remember the descriptions of the Temple of Nalzok, given to you by
The Arch Priest.  It is ahead that you will find Nalzok's trail.

When returning:

Again, you stand before the Temple of Nalzok.

When first entering the goal level:

The stench of brimstone is all about you, and the shrieks and moans
of tortured souls assault your psyche.
Ahead, there is a small clearing amidst the bubbling pits of lava...

When returning:

Again, you have invaded Nalzok's domain.

Quest nemesis

When first encountering the quest nemesis:

"Ah, so The Arch Priest has sent another acolyte to retrieve
the Mitre of Holiness.
"No, I see you are no acolyte.  Perhaps I shall have some fun today
after all.  Prepare to die, <currentrank>!  You shall never regain
the Mitre of Holiness!

Upon further meetings:

"So, <currentrank>.  Again you challenge me."

And on the 4th and subsequent meetings:

"Die now, <currentrank>.  <deity> has no power here to aid you."

When you have the Mitre of Holiness, but Nalzok is still alive:

"You shall die, <currentrank>, and I will have the Mitre of Holiness back."

Discouragement

Nalzok will occasionally utter maledictions:

"Submit to my will, Priest, and I shall spare you."
"Your puny powers are no match for me, Priest."
"I shall have you turned into a zombie for my pleasure!"
"Despair now, <currentrank>.  <deity> cannot help you."
"I shall feast upon your soul for many days, Priest."
"Your death will be slow and painful.  That I promise!"
"You cannot defeat Nalzok, you fool.  I shall kill you now."
"Your precious Arch Priest will be my next victim."
"I feel your powers failing you, <currentrank>.  You shall die now."
"With the Mitre of Holiness, nothing can stand in my way."

Victory

When picking up your quest artifact:

As you pick up the Mitre of Holiness, you feel the essence of
<deity> fill your soul.  You know now why Nalzok stole it from
the Great Temple, for with it, a Priest of <deity> could
easily defeat his plans.
You sense a message from <deity>.  Though not verbal, you
get the impression that you must return to The Arch Priest as soon
as possible.

When killing the nemesis:

You feel a wrenching shift in the ether as Nalzok's body dissolves
into a cloud of noxious gas.
Suddenly, a voice booms out:
    Thou hast defeated the least of my minions, <currentrank>.
    Know now that Moloch is aware of thy presence.
    As for thee, Nalzok, I shall deal with thy failure
    at my leisure.
You then hear the voice of Nalzok, screaming in terror...

When returning to your quest leader:

"You have returned, <playername>.  And with the Mitre of Holiness, I see.
Congratulations.
"I have been in meditation, and have received direction from
a minion of <deity>.  <deity> commands that you retain
the Mitre of Holiness.  With it, you must recover the Amulet
of Yendor.
"Go forth, and let <deity> guide your steps."

When subsequently throwing the Mitre of Holiness to the Arch Priest:

The Arch Priest reiterates that the Mitre of Holiness is yours now.
"The time has come to resume your search for the Amulet.
The Dungeons of Doom await your return through the magic portal
that brought you here."

Post-quest

When talking to the Arch Priest after the quest:

"Welcome back, <playername>.  How is your quest for the Amulet going?"

When talking to the Arch Priest after getting the Amulet:

"You have prevailed, <playername>!  <deity> is surely with you.  Now,
you must take the amulet, and sacrifice it on <deity>'s altar on
the Astral plane.  I suspect that I shall never see you again in this
life, but I hope to at <deity>'s feet."

Variants

In the Biodiversity patch, there are many different start levels, each corresponding to a pantheon. For example, if you worship caveman gods, you will get a ziggurat.

This page is based on a spoiler by Dylan O'Donnell. The original license is:

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