Hellish seal

+ Hellish seals (also commonly referred to as hell vaults) are a dungeon feature added in dNetHack. Being a feature of the floor, they do not block line of sight or otherwise obstruct the square. Indeed, the only way to interact with a hellish seal is to break it by digging downwards over the seal.

Hellish seals are generated as part of random level generation in random gehennom mazes. They are generated in small, closed 3x3 rooms found within larger rooms. A specific monster is sealed away within each hellish seal. The precise monster type can only be learned by breaking the seal, but the broad category can be learned by observing the statue placed on top of the seal. Sealed monsters have max HP equal to 8 times their level, and always generate hostile.

Seal types (by indicator statue)

Strange larva: Tanninim

• Akkabish tannin
• Shalosh tannah
• Nachash tannin
• Khaamnun tannin
• Raglayim tannin
• Teraphim tannah
• Sartan tannin

Akkabish, sartan, and raglayim tannin generate adjacent to the hero. Teraphim tannah generate very close to the hero, but not in line with them. Nachash and khaamnun tannin, and shalosh tannah, generate near to the hero, but not in line with them.

Ancient nupperibo: Ancients

• Ancient of blessings
• Ancient of vitality
• Ancient of corruption
• Ancient of the burning wastes
• Ancient of thought
• Ancient of death

Ancients generate with their breath on a 1-turn cooldown, so they won't use it the turn they spawn. They generate near to the hero, but not in line with them.

Instead of their usual inventory, ancients of death generate with an unholy large +8 life-drinking vorpal green-steel scythe.

Angel: Angels

• Apocalypse angel
• Harrower of Zariel
• Mad angel: an angel that has the "mad" monster template and has its level increased by ¹⁄₂ of its base level. The type of angel is chosen randomly from the following options:
  • ¹⁄₆ chance of a Throne Archon
  • ¹⁄₆ chance of a Light Archon
  • ¹⁄₆ chance of a Surya Deva
  • ¹⁄₆ chance of a Mahadeva
  • ²⁄₆ chance of some kind of Eladrin - either a high-caste Eladrin or an Eladrin precursor. Possible Eladrin precursors can only show up if they're the kind that was chosen for this game, but every kind of high-caste Eladrin is possible, regardless of which kind was chosen to normally appear this game.
    • If Dracae Eladrin were the Eladrin precursors this game, the monster has a ¹⁄₂ chance of being a Dracae Eladrin.
    • Otherwise the monster is a high-caste Eladrin:
      • ¹⁄₄ chance of a Gae Eladrin
      • ¹⁄₄ chance of a Tulani Eladrin
      • ¹⁄₆ chance of a Brighid Eladrin
      • ¹⁄₆ chance of an Uiscerre Eladrin
      • ¹⁄₆ chance of a Caillea Eladrin
    • If polypoid beings were the Eladrin precursors this game, then Gae and Tulani Eladrin have a ¹⁄₂ chance of actually being polypoid beings in disguise.
• Jrt Netjer - it will have the "poisoned" monster template, and its level will be 30.

Mad angels and Jrt Netjeru generate very close to the hero, but not in line with them. Harrowers of Zariel generate near to the hero, but not in line with them. Apocalypse angels generate randomly anywhere on the entire level.

Lemure: Nessian Pit Fiends

• Nessian pit fiend

Nessian pit fiends generate adjacent to the hero. Instead of their usual inventory, they generate with a cloak of magic resistance, an unholy +9 axiomatic green-steel mace, and a set of armor that is all unholy +9 axiomatic green-steel: speed boots, plate mail, gauntlets of power, and a helmet.

Manes: Shayateen

• Shayateen

Shayateen generate adjacent to the hero. Instead of their usual inventory, they generate with 4 battle-axes, each of which is unholy +6 anarchic, and each one randomly has one of the following properties: life-draining, sizzling, flaming, or freezing.

Seal treasure

Each hellish seal also contains a metallic chest containing between 9 and 36 (9d4) random magical items. Approximately 1/3rd of these items will be armor, 1/3rd of them will be weapons, and the remaining 1/3rd will be random magic items. Armor and weapons may be highly enchanted, may generate as artifacts, and may generate with object properties. You will need to dig the chest out of the ground beneath the seal. The chest is always locked and trapped and usually made of metal.

A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

"More details about seal treasure - it depends on the sealed monster."