Anachrononaut quest

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Home level The Last Bastion
Locate level City Ruins
Goal level Ground Zero
Leader Sarah the Last Oracle
Guardians troopers
Nemesis None (elder brains serve as the bosses)
Quest Artifact The Annulus

Quest monsters

Anachrononauts have a greater variety of quest monsters than is typical; however, no other monster types will spawn.

Maps

Home level: The Last Bastion

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
|}}}#|...|.|.|.|2341|------------------------------------------------------ 
|}#{.|S-S-S-S-S|+--1|------------------------------------------------------ 
|}{..|.........|..|1|. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 
|#...+.........+..|1|.----------------------------------------------------- 
--+-+-+---------+----. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 
|D#..|.........|....|.----------------------------------------------------- 
|e#..|.---#-#-.|....|. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 
|l#..|.#.|.|.|.|....|.-----------------------.....------------------------- 
|i#..|.|---|-|.|....|. . - - - - - - - - - - . . . - - - - - - - - - - . -- 
|--..|.#@| |.#.|....+...---------------------.....--------------------.>.-- 
|B#..|.|-|---|.|....|. . - - - - - - - - - - . . . - - - - - - - - - - . -- 
|o#..|.|.|.|.#.|....|.-----------------------.....------------------------- 
|o#..|.-#-#---.|....|. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 
|k#..|.........|....|.----------------------------------------------------- 
--+-+-+---------+----. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 
|#...+.........+..|0|.----------------------------------------------------- 
|}{..|.........|..|9|. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 
|}#{.|S-S-S-S-S|+--9|------------------------------------------------------ 
|}}}#|.|.|.|.|.|5678|------------------------------------------------------ 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Welcome to the end of the world! Enemies on the Anachrononaut home level will home in on the quest leader - Sara, the Last Oracle - and attempt to kill her. New enemies spawn around the downstair, and so will have to march across the length of the level to reach Sara. Should she die before granting quest access to the player, you will be unable to retrieve the Annulus and consequently unable to achieve a full-scoring ascension.

The right-hand portion of the level contains a random maze. The magic portal opens somewhere in this maze.

The marked Deli contains a tinning kit for sale, as well as a lot more food than is typical. The marked Bookstore contains more books and scrolls than is typical, including a Spellbook for the non-standard spell Lightning Bolt.

The storage rooms contain a lot of useful future tech, including grenades and grenade launchers (1), blasters (1 arm, 4 hand) (2), shotguns and rifles with ammo (3), lightsabers (4), digging tools (5), oilskin sacks and a bag of holding (6), hyposprays and ampules (7), bullet fabbers (8), and plasteel armor/bodyglove/jumpsuits (9). The box marked 0 has non-futuristic tools, such as expensive cameras and towels.

Upper filler level(s)


.........
.}}}}}}}.
.}}-+-}}.
.}--.--}.
.}+...+}.
.}--.--}.
.}}-+-}}.
.}}}}}}}.

The ruined tower above is located in the center of a random maze.

Locate level


------------.....-----------------------------------------------------------
|....|.....|.....|...|.....|...|.....|.....|...|...|...|.....|.............|
|....|.....|.....|...|.....|...|.....|.....|...|...|...|.....|.............|
|. . | . . | . . | . | . . | . | . . | . . | . | . | . | . . | . . - - - - |
|....|.....|.....|...|.....|...|.....|.....|...|...|...|.....|......-------|
-- - - - - - . . | . |-- --| . | - ----- - | . | . | . | - - | . . - - - - |
.................-----.....-----...........-------------.....|......-------|
.. - - - - - - - - . . - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | . . . - - - |
........-.-.-.-.-.---------------------....--------------....---------------
.. . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . - - - - - - - . . . . . . . . . .
........-.-.-.-.-.---------------------....--------------...---------------.
.. . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - .
..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-------------------....-----------........---------------.
.. . . . . - - - - - . . . . . . . . . . | . . . . | . . . . . - - - - - - .
----------...........-----.....-----.....|.........|--------................
|. . | . | --- --- --| . | - - | . |-- --| . . . . | . | . | . . . - --- ---
|....|...|.....|.....|...|.....|...|.....|.........|...|...|-------|.......|
|. . | . | . . | . . | . | . . | . | . . | . . . . | . | . | . . . | . . . |
|....|...|.....|.....|...|.....|...|.....|.........|...|...|.......|.......|
|. . | . | . . | . . | . | . . | . | . . | . . . . | . | . | . . . | . . . |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A random maze is overlaid onto this map, resulting in a fairly open level with short segments of wall.

5 long worms

7 razorvine patches

  • Some plasteel armor pieces
  • 60%: Robe, cloak of protection, cloak of MR, cloak of displacement, Leo Nemaeus hide
  • 30%: sensor pack
  • stack of power packs
  • 1 hypospray
  • 13 stacks of random hypospray ampules
  • 2 bullet fabbers
  • 1 tinning kit
  • 1 R'lyehian faceplate
  • 1 (4x recharged) arm blaster
  • 2 hand blasters
  • 2 cutting lasers
  • 1 raygun
  • 1 mass-shadow pistol
  • Other guns, including a heavy machine gun, a rocket launcher and ammo, and two sniper rifles
  • 13 random items

Lower filler level(s)


                            -----------------                            
                    ---------...............---------                    
              -------...............................-------              
         ------.........---------S-----S---------.........------         
      ----........-------|######|.|###|.|######|-------........----      
    ---......------######S######|.--S--.|######S######------......---    
  ---.....----####S######|-------.......-------|######S####----.....---  
---.....---##S####---------........}}}........---------####S##---.....---
|.......|####------...............}}}}}...............------####|.......|
|.......|####S...................}}}>}}}...................S####|.......|
|.......|####------...............}}}}}...............------####|.......|
---.....---##S####---------........}}}........---------####S##---.....---
  ---.....----####S######|-------.......-------|######S####----.....---  
    ---......------######S######|.--S--.|######S######------......---    
      ----........-------|######|.|###|.|######|-------........----      
         ------.........---------S-----S---------.........------         
              -------...............................-------              
                    ---------...............---------                    
                            -----------------                            

The upstair is placed randomly in the outer ring of the level. A large number of mind flayers are placed in the hidden rooms surrounding the center pool. An elder brain is at the center of these levels, on top of the downstair.

Goal level

...........................................................................
...........................................................................
....................................------.................................
.........................................|.................................
----.......----..................|.#####....................---.........---
|.............|...............|..|.##U##....|...............|.............|
|..---------.............--|..|..|.#####....|..|.......|...|-..--------...|
|..|.......|...-|.|-.......-|.|..|...#...|..|.|-.......-|.|-...|.......|..|
|..|.#####.|....-|-....#....-||..----+----..||-.... ....-|-....|.#####.|..|
|....##U###+.....+....###....||.............||....   ....+.....+###U##.|..|
|....#####.|....-|-....#....-|--|.........|--|-.... ....-|-....|.#####.|..|
|..........|...-|-|-.......-|...-|---+---|-...|-.......-|-|-...........|..|
|....-------..-|---|---+---|....|-.......-|....|.--+---|---|-..----...--..|
|- - - - - - -|- - - | . | - - |-. . # . .-| - - | . | - - -|- - - - - - -|
-------------------------------|....###....|---------|----------------------
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - . |-. . # . .-| . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
---------------------------|----|---------|----|----------------------------
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . | - + - | . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-----------------------------|---------------|------------------------------
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - --< < < < < < <-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A random maze is overlaid onto this level, resulting in an enclosed maze at the south end of the level, contrasting with the wide-open north end.

  • Some plasteel armor pieces
  • 2 stacks of power packs
  • 1 sensor pack
  • 15 stacks of random hypospray ampules
  • 1 tinning kit
  • 3 R'lyehian faceplate
  • 1 (4x recharged) arm blaster
  • 2 hand blasters
  • 2 cutting lasers
  • 1 raygun
  • Other guns, including a heavy machine gun, a rocket launcher and ammo, and two sniper rifles
  • 26 random items

The Annulus is placed randomly on the level, though never in the same square as one of the elder brains. Since it is placed last, it will be visible on top of any pile it lands on, and can therefore be found using object detection.

Note that the Elder Brains are simply regular (if tough) enemies; there is no quest nemesis in the Anachrononaut quest.

Messages

Entry

First time: 

Suddenly, you find yourself back in the warrens surrounding the Last Bastion.

Next time: 

Once again, you return to the Last Bastion.

If already rejected twice due to bad alignment: 

You are back at the Last Bastion.

You have an odd feeling this may be the last time you ever come here.

Quest guardians

If #chatting before the quest is complete: 

"The sepulchers have opened!  The Seraphs are rising to the surface!"
"They know our location.  This position will be overrun shortly."
"We're out of time."
"Ever since the Rapture of Slime, the puppets of the Black Web have been appearing on the surface in great numbers."
"You must speak with Sara before the Last Bastion falls!"

If #chatting after the quest is complete: 

"Have you seen the flowers at the end of time?"
"We're being overrun!"
"We're out of time."
"All the world has begun to move with the semblance of life."
"You retrieved the Annulus?  Why?  It won't save us now."

Quest leader

When you first meet your quest leader: 

"I'm glad you were able to return.  For you, many days have
gone by since you were sent back, but for us, it's only been
a few minutes.

"The mission to the past was meant to be a one-way trip.
However, our Enemy's attack has forced us to send you 
back prematurely, and to recall you from farther down
the time-stream, in the hopes that you can complete the
final preparations for your mission.

"But, before I can tell you in more detail what you
must do, I must check to see if you have grown strong
enough to withstand the perils ahead."


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

"You have returned from farther down the time-stream, I see.
Let me check if you are strong enough now."

This message is not currently used: 

"You have traveled quite far down the time-stream now.
Let me check if you are strong enough now."

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

"<playername>, my <brother|sister>!  How could you betray us!
"Begone!  Live out what remains of your cursed life in
the doomed, distant past!"


When being rejected due to lack of experience: 

"<Brother|Sister>, you are not yet strong enough to undertake the mission
I must give you now.  The army of the bastions has tried, 
and failed, to complete this mission for our entire lives.
Go now, return to the past, and come back to us from farther down
the time-stream."

When being rejected due to having worse than pious alignment: 

"%<Brother|Sister>, I fear that you have strayed from your chosen path.

"The Enemy will exploit any weaknesses in your psyche.  Return
to the past and rededicate yourself to the <neutral|chaotic> path."


When finally assigned the quest: 

"<Brother|Sister>, you may now be ready to undertake the final preparations
for your mission.

"The great Enemy, the Grey Thought Entity called Ilsensine, comes to
Yggdrasil from the Far Realms that lie beyond it.  She entered our
world in the distant past, possibly even through the beginning.  For
eons, she lay dormant as the seed of inspiration, burried in the 
minds of the gods of Law.

"In this age before ages, the mind flayers ruled the universe, having
themselves traveled through far realms to that era from the distant
future.  They learned of that nascent thought, or brought knowledge
of it back from the future, and worshiped it as Ilsensine.

"Before the mind flayers could complete preparations for the rise of
the Enemy, they were overthrown by a revolt of the slave races, and
the great ring of Penumbra was broken.

"But the gods of Law, contemplating the strange natural order of
the mind flayers, stumbled on the Thought, and were consumed by
it.  The other gods of the heavens became aware of the Enemy and
fought against it, but they too were consumed one by one, until only
the gods of the earth remained.

"The mortal races of the earth were trapped between the new God
of the heavens and the old gods of earth.  But they were not
unprepared.

"Our ancestors discovered a silver bell that could open anything.
They turned the power of this bell against itself, opening a ring-
shaped hole in the world through which the foreign Thought Entity
could be ejected from the universe.

"The greatest hero of the age wielded this Annulus in battle
with the servants of Ilsensine, on the day of our birth when the
heavens fell to earth.  The Annulus was lost at Ground Zero in 
the defeat at the Battle of Heavenfall and the Night of Falling
Stars.

"It is too late to employ the Annulus against Ilsensine, for all
the base matter of the world now stirs with her thoughts.  The only
hope is to take the Annulus back into the past, to before Ilsensine
overran the heavens, and employ it against her then.  This is the
great mission for which you have spent your whole life training.

"However, the Annulus remains lost at Ground Zero.  All the 
armies of the Resistance have been unable to penetrate deep 
enough into enemy teritory to reach that place, and now there
are no armies left.  We have no choice but to send you, the Last
Hero of this or any age to come, alone in the hopes that you can
succeed where they failed.  Should you do so, you must return to
me so that I can tell you of the final stage of the plan."

Encouragement

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

"We are the final generation, born the day the heavens fell.  No more
will be born after us, unless you can change the course of history."
"The night of falling stars ended coordinated resistance on the
surface.  Only a few underground bastions survived the night."
"Should you meet a Dread Seraph, I can only suggest you run."
"You should make liberal use of magic maps and object detection."
"The Black Flowers are dangerous for their song, not their combat
prowess."
"Intoners are fast, seductive warriors, who sing many songs and
cast many spells.  I can only advise you to kill them quickly
from a distance."
"Beware the Army of Neverweres, or they will steal your
equipment and your blood."
"The remaining Troopers of the Last Bastion will hold the
line as long as they are able."
"Those Changed by exposure to the Far Realms of Insanity
require isolation suits to exist in our atmosphere.  If
the suit is breached, the Changed inside will eventually
boil away into poison mist."
"I hope you found luck in the past, for there is surely
none left in this fading world."


Locate and goal levels

When first entering the locate level: 

You have reached the ruins of a great city, destroyed in
the rain of falling stars that came after the great defeat
at the Battle of Heavenfall.  Beyond the city you see the
ever-expanding Penumbral zone rising into the night sky.

You will have to pass through the city and the nascent 
Penumbra if you are to reach Ground Zero, where the Annulus
was lost on the Eve of Falling Stars, on the day of your
birth.

When returning: 

Once again, you arrive at the ruins of the city.

When first entering the goal level: 

An overwhelming feeling of being watched fills your mind.

You have reached Ground Zero, where Heaven fell to earth.


When returning: 

You have returned to Ground Zero.

Victory

When picking up your quest artifact: 

You have recovered the Annulus, lost at the Battle of
Heavenfall on the Eve of Falling Stars.

You must return to Sara, if she yet lives, to learn
the details of the next and final stage of the plan.

When returning to your quest leader: 

Sara, the Last Oracle, looks wonderingly at the
Annulus.

"Well done, <brother|sister>.  You have succeed where
all others have failed, and returned hope to
our world.

"You must now travel deep into the earth, and
retrieve the Amulet of Yendor, that was stolen by
Moloch at the beginning of time.

"With the Amulet in your possetion, the gods will
allow you to climb up to the Astral Plane.  Once
there, you must use the Annulus to Annul the High
Altar of Ilsensine and eject her from this
universe."

When subsequently throwing the Annulus to Sara: 

"The Annulus is the pinnacle of mortal technology, created
by turning the power of the Bell of Opening upon itself,
creating a door through the universe through which even
the great Grey Though Entity Ilsensine may be ejected.

"You must not lose it or fail to take it with you to
the Astral Plane, or all our struggles will have been
for naught."


Post-quest

When talking to Sara after the quest: 

"There is nothing more you can do for this version of me,
<brother|sister>.  Go back to the past, seek the Amulet of Yendor, and
gain entrance to the Astral Plane, where the final confrontation
with the servants of Ilsensine awaits you."


When talking to Sara after getting the Amulet: 

"You've done it!  But there is still nothing you can do for us
now.  Go back to the past, and bear the Amulet of Yendor up
to the Astral Plane.  Once there, you must use the Annulus
to Annul the High Altar of Ilsensine and eject her from
this universe before she can consume the heavens and the
earth."
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