Medusa's Island - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: ...and put it in history, placing the origin stuff after

2026-01-11T17:14:41Z

...and put it in history, placing the origin stuff after

Umbire the Phantom: /* Second version */ snip wand reference...

2026-01-11T17:08:35Z

‎Second version: snip wand reference...

Umbire the Phantom: copyedit

2025-06-29T11:11:04Z

copyedit

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ some copyedit

2025-04-20T20:30:26Z

‎Variants: some copyedit

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy / plop todo* her

2025-04-20T20:29:48Z

‎Strategy: plop *todo* her

Phol ende wodan: note that "Medusa's lair" is a valid name and how the game uses it

2024-12-19T19:40:49Z

note that "Medusa's lair" is a valid name and how the game uses it

Cathartes: /* Fourth version */ level does not specify dragon's gender (not that it's ever revealed since they're not humanoid); maybe dragon parents take turns incubating their eggs

2024-09-18T06:28:09Z

‎Fourth version: level does not specify dragon's gender (not that it's ever revealed since they're not humanoid); maybe dragon parents take turns incubating their eggs

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ rewrite this also

2024-01-04T22:45:41Z

‎dNetHack: rewrite this also

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ dnh, correct THEM

2024-01-04T21:30:12Z

‎Variants: dnh, correct THEM

Umbire the Phantom: /* Fourth version */ refsrc

2024-01-04T21:16:21Z

‎Fourth version: refsrc

@@ Line 210: / Line 210: @@
 If crossing the water is not an option, you may also opt to dig a [[hole]] to the next level and then come back up by using the [[staircase]]. The stairs to the next level are in the same room as Medusa, so make sure that you are ready for her before going up the stairs!
 ==Origin==
 {{wikipedia|Medusa}}
-The fourth variant of Medusa's Island draws in particular from some aspects of Medusa's tale in Greek folklore: After her decapitation, her spilled blood was said to have given birth to several creatures, including the Sahara's poisonous vipers and the venomous, twin-headed dragon-like serpent known as [[wikipedia:Amphisbaena|Amphisbaena]]. These are each represented by the abundance of snakes and black nagas, as well as the yellow dragon - black nagas, yellow dragons and their offspring are [[acidic]] and thus resistant to stoning.
+The fourth variant of Medusa's Island draws from some aspects of Medusa's tale in ancient Greek folklore: After Medusa's decapitation, her spilled blood was said to have given birth to several creatures, including the Sahara's poisonous vipers and the venomous, twin-headed dragon-like serpent known as the [[wikipedia:Amphisbaena|Amphisbaena]]. These are each represented by the abundance of snakes and black nagas placed on the map during level creation, as well as the yellow dragon&mdash;black nagas, yellow dragons and their offspring are [[acidic]] and thus resistant to stoning.
-[[Nethack 3.6.0]] adds two new possible layouts for the island.
+Similarly, the crystal ball placed on this map may be an allusion to [[wikipedia:Graeae|the Graeae]], daughters of the sea-deities Phorcys and Ceto and sisters to the Gorgons. Perseus stole their sole shared eye in order to ransom it for information on the whereabouts of either Medusa herself or the three objects needed to slay her.
 ==Variants==
 ===UnNetHack===
-As with other special levels in [[UnNetHack]], the four layout variations may be flipped horizontally, vertically, or both.
+As with other special levels in [[UnNetHack]], the four layout variations for Medusa's Island may be flipped horizontally, vertically, or both.
 A [[magic portal]] to [[Fort Ludios]] will be generated on Medusa's Island if a portal is not generated in an eligible [[vault]] prior to reaching this level.

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:08, 11 January 2026
Line 114:		Line 114:

	There are marked [[boulder]]s in the entrance hall and on the right-hand island; the latter has a random [[wand]] beneath it. The walls of both the entrance hall and Medusa's hall are undiggable.		There are marked [[boulder]]s in the entrance hall and on the right-hand island; the latter has a random [[wand]] beneath it. The walls of both the entrance hall and Medusa's hall are undiggable.
−
−	The wand is possibly a reference to [[NetHack 2.3e]] and earlier versions of NetHack. These versions did not have the [[Castle]]; instead, they placed the [[wand of wishing]] in one of the upper [[maze]]s, in a dead-end square with a boulder on top of it.

	==Third version==		==Third version==

@@ Line 205: / Line 205: @@
 ==Strategy==
 {{todo|expand on the boulder-related strategies, taking all four maps into account, perhaps specifying where the boulders go; explain how to dig down on variants where there's no room; discuss what forms of jumping are needed for which maps}}
-The most difficult thing about reaching Medusa is crossing the water full of [[sea monster]]s. [[Levitation]] or [[water walking boots]] are the most common ways to cross the water. Using a [[wand of cold]], a [[frost horn]] or the [[cone of cold]] spell to freeze a path across the water is another option, as is filling the water with boulders, or some means of [[jumping]].
+The most difficult thing about reaching Medusa is crossing the water full of [[sea monster]]s. [[Levitation]] or [[water walking boots]] are the most common ways to cross the water. Using a [[wand of cold]], a [[frost horn]] or the {{+ of|cone of cold}} spell to freeze a path across the water is another option, as is filling the water with boulders, or some means of [[jumping]].
-If you are trying to reach the island with boulders, you can push them to the stairs of the previous level and throw items to make them roll down. Alternatively, you can read preferably uncursed [[scroll of earth|scrolls of earth]] if not enough boulders are available. At least eight boulders are needed for the first and fourth versions, 16 for the second, and a variable number for the third depending on which island spawns the down stairs. Fewer boulders may suffice if you're willing to jump repeatedly into a one-space water gap until you surface on the right side. However, since each boulder has a 10% chance of sinking without leaving floor, no amount of boulders is guaranteed to be sufficient to leave a path.
+If you are trying to reach the island with boulders, you can push them to the stairs of the previous level and throw items to make them roll down. Alternatively, you can read (preferably uncursed) [[scrolls of earth]] if not enough boulders are available: At least eight boulders are needed for the first and fourth maps, 16 are needed for the second, and a variable number are used for the third depending on which island the down stair is located on. Fewer boulders may suffice if you're willing to jump repeatedly into a one-space water gap until you surface on the right side. Since each boulder has a {{frac|10}} chance of sinking without leaving a floor square, there is no set minimum amount of boulders that will always leave a path.
 An [[amulet of magical breathing]] may also be used to traverse the level underwater, with all the effects that getting yourself [[wet]] entails.

@@ Line 225: / Line 225: @@
 ==Variants==
-===UnNethack===
+===UnNetHack===
-As with other special levels in [[UnNethack]], the four layout variations may be flipped horizontally, vertically, or both.
+As with other special levels in [[UnNetHack]], the four layout variations may be flipped horizontally, vertically, or both.
 A [[magic portal]] to [[Fort Ludios]] will be generated on Medusa's Island if a portal is not generated in an eligible [[vault]] prior to reaching this level.
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]] and [[notdNetHack]], the 'challenge' level generated before the [[Castle]] may either be the [[Grue's Cavern]] with a {{frac|3}} chance or Medusa's Island with a {{frac|2|3}} chance; Medusa's Island has all four layouts from vanilla ''NetHack'', including the two additional layouts that were obtained from a patch prior to their inclusion in NetHack 3.6.0.
+In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], the 'challenge' level generated before the [[Castle]] may either be the [[Grue's Cavern]] with a {{frac|3}} chance or Medusa's Island with a {{frac|2|3}} chance; Medusa's Island has all four layouts from vanilla ''NetHack'', including the two additional layouts that were obtained from a patch prior to their inclusion in NetHack 3.6.0.
 Three [[User:Chris/dNetHack/Gorgoneion|Gorgoneions]] can be found burned into random squares on Medusa's level.
 ===SlashTHEM===
-In [[SlashTHEM]], there are far more sea monsters in the level, including [[mermaid]]s with theft attacks, making ranged attacks and either telepathy or warning more important to have by that point.
+In [[SlashTHEM]], there are far more sea monsters in the level, including [[mermaid]]s with theft attacks, making ranged attacks, telepathy and/or warning more important to have by that point.
 ==References==

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:29, 20 April 2025
Line 204:		Line 204:

	==Strategy==		==Strategy==
		+	{{todo\|expand on the boulder-related strategies, taking all four maps into account, perhaps specifying where the boulders go; explain how to dig down on variants where there's no room; discuss what forms of jumping are needed for which maps}}
	The most difficult thing about reaching Medusa is crossing the water full of [[sea monster]]s. [[Levitation]] or [[water walking boots]] are the most common ways to cross the water. Using a [[wand of cold]], a [[frost horn]] or the [[cone of cold]] spell to freeze a path across the water is another option, as is filling the water with boulders, or some means of [[jumping]].		The most difficult thing about reaching Medusa is crossing the water full of [[sea monster]]s. [[Levitation]] or [[water walking boots]] are the most common ways to cross the water. Using a [[wand of cold]], a [[frost horn]] or the [[cone of cold]] spell to freeze a path across the water is another option, as is filling the water with boulders, or some means of [[jumping]].

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 }}
 '''Medusa's Island''' is a [[special level]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]'', and is home to [[Medusa]]. The entire level is [[non-teleport level|non-teleport]], and is ineligible to leave [[bones]] files.
 ==Generation==

@@ Line 195: / Line 195: @@
 </replacecharsblock></div>
-The up stairs are always on the islands to the right, with Medusa dwelling in her "palace" on the left.{{refsrc|dat/medusa.des|320|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The down "stairs" marked above are the locations where the actual down stairs can be generated, with Medusa waiting on that square - another will have the statue of Perseus in its place. The marked yellow [[dragon]] is generated asleep, and may have up to two babies sleeping by her. She also nests on one to three yellow dragon eggs, which may hatch into awake and hostile babies by the time you reach them. Also inhabiting the level are various, mostly slithery monsters: two giant eels, two jellyfish, four adult and hatchling [[black naga]]s each, and 14 random snakes; this may include [[python]]s as capable of [[drowning]] you as the eels. Eight random objects and seven random traps are randomly placed. The [[crystal ball]] next to the [[kraken]] is underwater.
+The up stairs are always on the islands to the right, with Medusa dwelling in her "palace" on the left.{{refsrc|dat/medusa.des|320|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The down "stairs" marked above are the locations where the actual down stairs can be generated, with Medusa waiting on that square - another will have the statue of Perseus in its place. The marked yellow [[dragon]] is generated asleep, and may have up to two babies sleeping by them. The dragon also nests on one to three yellow dragon eggs, which may hatch into awake and hostile babies by the time you reach them. Also inhabiting the level are various, mostly slithery monsters: two giant eels, two jellyfish, four adult and hatchling [[black naga]]s each, and 14 random snakes; this may include [[python]]s as capable of [[drowning]] you as the eels. Eight random objects and seven random traps are randomly placed. The [[crystal ball]] next to the [[kraken]] is underwater.
 Note that depending on Medusa's position, you may be able to catch sight of her through the iron bars; take the appropriate precautions ''before'' nearing her complex.