Shrieker
F shrieker 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 2 |
| Attacks |
None |
| Base level | 3 |
| Base experience | 28 |
| Speed | 1 |
| Base AC | 7 |
| Base MR | 0 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | Very rare |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 100 |
| Nutritional value | 100 |
| Size | Small |
| Resistances | Poison |
| Resistances conveyed | Poison (20%) |
|
A shrieker:
| |
| Reference | monst.c#line1434 |
The shrieker is a monster in NetHack. According to Dungeons and Dragons, the shrieker is a large purple fungus. While it has no attacks and moves very slowly, its ability to shriek gives it the ability to aggravate monsters and occasionally (1/10 of all shrieks[1]) summon a random monster somewhere on the level, 1/13[2] of which are purple worms (the explanation given for this is that purple worms enjoy consuming shriekers and are attracted by their shriek[3]). #Chatting with a shrieker will also cause it to shriek; this aggravates monsters, but cannot summon any.[4] The shrieker corpse also gives a 20% chance for poison resistance, and is safe to eat. As a fungus, consuming it does not break the vegan or vegetarian conducts.
The line "The shrieker shrieks." has gained a reputation as being one of the most memorable lines in NetHack.
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM shriekers, like all F except lichens, may rise from the dead. Additionally, they are incapable of summoning purple worms[5] but are slightly more likely to summon a monster with a shriek (1/8 chance instead of 1/10). The first change may be due to the fact that two other monsters, the squealer and the mobat, have the same shriek in SLASH'EM.
Encyclopedia entry
With a single, savage thrust of her spear, the warrior-woman
impaled the fungus, silencing it. However, it was too late:
the alarm had been raised[...]
Suddenly, a large, dark shape rose from the abyss before them,
its fetid bulk looming overhead...The monster was some kind of
great dark worm, but that was about all they were sure of.
