Rogue quest
The Rogue quest sees you fighting the Master Assassin for The Master Key of Thievery. For more information on the quest branch in general, see the quest article.
| Home level | The Thieves' Guild Hall |
|---|---|
| Locate level | The Assassins' Guild Hall |
| Goal level | Stronghold of the Master Assassin |
| Leader | The Master of Thieves |
| Guardians | thugs |
| Nemesis | The Master Assassin |
| Quest Artifact | The Master Key of Thievery |
Contents
Levels
Random monsters on this Quest are generated with the following frequencies:
- 96/175 (55%) leprechaun
- 24/175 (14%) random n
- 24/175 (14%) guardian naga
- 6/175 (3%) random N
- 1/7 (14%) normal random monster
The Thieves' Guild Hall
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------------------------->--------------------------------------------------
The two-way magic portal back to the Dungeons of Doom is at the marked point. The Master of Thieves is at the point marked 'x', where there is also a chest; two thugs are in the room with him, and three and four more in the two rooms immediately connecting to his. Three of the four marked downstairs are actually mimics; each of the four also has a water nymph and leprechaun next to it, and there are five to seven more water nymphs and leprechauns distributed about the streets; there are also eight to 10 chameleons on the level, and sixteen random traps. The entire level is no-teleport and has undiggable walls and floor.
Upper filler level
This is an "ordinary" room-and-corridor level, with six rooms; five leprechauns, two water nymphs, and two guardian nagas; nine random objects; and eight random traps.
The Assassins' Guild Hall
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The stairs are located randomly on the level, as are eighteen leprechauns, six guardian nagas, five chameleons, and three random N; six random traps; and fifteen random objects. There is a cursed scroll of teleportation at the marked spot in the lower left. The entire level has undiggable walls. Teleportation is permitted.
Lower filler level(s)
These are "ordinary" room-and-corridor levels, with six rooms; five leprechauns, two water nymphs, and two guardian nagas; nine random objects; and eight random traps.
Stronghold of the Master Assassin
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---------------------------------------- ...... ---------- ----
The stairway into the level is randomly placed in one of the rooms on the left side of the level. The Master Assassin, with the Bell of Opening and the Master Key of Thievery, is at the point marked @. The $-shaped pool is stocked with four sharks. There is a tin of chameleon meat at the marked spot % in a left-central room. Randomly placed around the level are eighteen leprechauns, eight guardian nagas, five chameleons, and three random N; thirteen random objects; and eleven random traps, in addition to the one marked spiked pit.
The entire level is no-teleport and has undiggable walls. As a consequence, the level is effectively divided into four sections, the borders of which are marked in red above.
Messages
Entry
First time:
Unexpectedly, you find yourself back in Ransmannsby, where you trained to be a thief. Quickly you make the guild sign, hoping that you AND word of your arrival reach the Master of Thieves' den.
Next time:
Once again, you find yourself back in Ransmannsby. Fond memories are replaced by fear, knowing that the Master of Thieves is waiting for you.
If already rejected twice due to bad alignment:
You rub your hands through your hair, hoping that the little ones on the back of your neck stay down, and prepare yourself for your meeting with the Master of Thieves.
Quest guardians
If #chatting before the quest is complete:
"I hear that Lady Tyvefelle's household is lightly guarded." "You're back? Even the Twain don't come back anymore." "Can you spare an old cutpurse a zorkmid for some grog?" "Fritz tried to join the other side, and now he's hell-hound chow." "Be careful what you steal, I hear the boss has perfected turning rocks into worthless pieces of glass."
If #chatting after the quest is complete:
"I was sure wrong about Lady Tyvefelle's house; I barely got away with my life and lost my lock pick in the process." "You're back? Even the Twain don't come back anymore." "Can you spare an old cutpurse a zorkmid for some grog?" "Fritz tried to join the other side, and now he's hell-hound chow." "Be careful what you steal, I hear the boss has perfected turning rocks into worthless pieces of glass."
Quest leader
When you first meet your quest leader:
"Well, look who it is boys -- <playername> has come home. You seem to have fallen behind in your dues. I should kill you as an example to these other worthless cutpurses, but I have a better plan. If you are ready maybe you could work off your back dues by performing a little job for me. Let us just see if you are ready..."
When you return, having been rejected due to lack of experience:
"Well, I didn't expect to see you back. It shows that you are either stupid, or you are finally ready to accept my offer. Let us hope for your sake it isn't stupidity that brings you back."
This message is not currently used:
"Did you perhaps mistake me for some other Master of Thieves? You must think me as stupid as your behavior. I warn you not to try my patience."
When you are expelled from the quest for having failed the alignment test seven times:
"Well thugs, it looks like our friend has forgotten who is the boss around here. Our friend seems to think that <currentranks> have been put in charge. Wrong. DEAD WRONG!" Your sudden shift in surroundings prevents you from hearing the end of the Master of Thieves' curse.
When being rejected due to lack of experience:
"In the time that you've been gone you've only been able to master the arts of a <currentrank>? I've trained ten times again as many Robbers in that time. Maybe I should send one of them, no? Where would that leave you, <playername>? Oh yeah, I remember, I was going to kill you!"
When being rejected due to having worse than pious alignment:
"Maybe I should chain you to my perch here for a while. Perhaps watching real chaotic men at work will bring some sense back to you. I don't think I could stand the sight of you for that long though. Come back when you can be trusted to act properly."
When finally assigned the quest:
"Will everyone not going to retrieve the Master Key of Thievery from that jerk, the Master Assassin, take one step backwards. Good choice, <playername>, because I was going to send you anyway. My other thugs are too valuable to me. "Here's the deal. I want the Master Key of Thievery, the Master Assassin has the Master Key of Thievery. You are going to get the Master Key of Thievery and bring it back to me. So simple an assignment even you can understand it."
Encouragement
If you subsequently chat to your quest leader, you are 'encouraged':
"You don't seem to understand, the Master Key of Thievery isn't here so neither should you be!" "May Kos curse you with lead fingers. Get going!" "We don't have all year. GET GOING!" "How would you like a scar necklace? I'm just the jeweler to do it!" "Lazy S.O.B. Maybe I should call up someone else..." "Maybe I should open your skull and see if my instructions are inside?" "This is not a task you can complete in the afterlife, you know." "Inside every living person is a dead person trying to get out, and I have your key!" "We're almost out of hell-hound chow, so why don't you just get moving!" "You know, the Master Key of Thievery isn't going to come when you whistle. You must get it yourself."
Locate and goal levels
When first entering the locate level:
Those damn little hairs tell you that you are nearer to the Master Key of Thievery.
When returning:
Not wanting to face the Master of Thieves without having stolen the Master Key of Thievery, you continue.
When first entering the goal level:
You feel a great swelling up of courage, sensing the presence of the Master Key of Thievery. Or is it fear?
When returning:
The hairs on the back of your neck whisper -- it's fear.
Quest nemesis
When first encountering the quest nemesis:
"Ah! You must be the Master of Thieves' ... er, `hero'. A pleasure to meet you."
Upon further meetings:
"We meet again. Please reconsider your actions."
And on the 4th and subsequent meetings:
"Surely, <playername>, you have learned that you cannot trust any bargains that the Master of Thieves has made. I can show you how to continue on your quest without having to run into him again."
When you have the Master Key of Thievery, but the Master Assassin is still alive:
"Please, think for a moment about what you are doing. Do you truly believe that Kos would want the Master of Thieves to have the Master Key of Thievery?"
Discouragement
The Master Assassin will occasionally utter 'maledictions':
"May I suggest a compromise. Are you interested in gold or gems?" "Please don't force me to kill you." "Grim times are upon us all. Will you not see reason?" "I knew the Master of Thieves, and you're no Master of Thieves, thankfully." "It is a shame that we are not meeting under more pleasant circumstances." "I was once like you are now, <playername>. Believe in me -- our way is better." "Stay with me, and I will make you the Master Key of Thievery's guardian." "When you return, with or without the Master Key of Thievery, the Master of Thieves will have you killed." "Do not be fooled; I am prepared to kill to defend the Master Key of Thievery." "I can reunite you with the Twain. Oh, the stories you can swap."
Victory
When picking up your quest artifact:
As you pick up the Master Key of Thievery, the hairs on the back of your neck fall out. At once you realize why the Master Assassin was willing to die to keep it out of the Master of Thieves' hands. Somehow you know that you must do likewise.
When killing the nemesis:
"I know what you are thinking, <playername>. It is not too late for you to use the Master Key of Thievery wisely. For the sake of your guild <brothers|sisters>, do what is right." You sit and wait for death to come for the Master Assassin, and then you brace yourself for your next meeting with the Master of Thieves!
When returning to your quest leader:
"Well, I'll be damned. You got it. I am proud of you, a fine <currentrank> you've turned out to be. "While you were gone I got to thinking, you and the Master Key of Thievery together could bring me more treasure than either of you apart, so why don't you take it with you. All I ask is a cut of whatever loot you come by. That is a better deal than I offered the Master Assassin. "But, you see what happened to the Master Assassin when he refused. Don't make me find another to send after you this time."
When subsequently throwing the Master Key of Thievery to the Master of Thieves:
The Master of Thieves seems tempted to swap the Master Key of Thievery for the mundane one you detect in his pocket, but noticing your alertness, evidently chickens out. "Go filch the Amulet before someone else beats you to it. The Dungeons of Doom are back the way you came, through the magic portal."
Post-quest
When talking to the Master of Thieves after the quest:
"Quite the little thief, aren't we, <playername>. Can I interest you in a swap for the Master Key of Thievery. Look around, anything in the keep is yours for the asking."
When talking to the Master of Thieves after getting the Amulet:
"I see that with your abilities, and my brains, we could rule this world. "All that we would need to be all-powerful is for you to take that little trinket you've got there up to the Astral plane. From there, Kos will show you what to do with it. Once that's done, we will be invincible!"
Strategy
Several wrinkles in the level design make the Rogue Quest one of the most difficult, despite the Master Assassin's relative lack of damage:
- The home level is time-consuming to navigate, and the longer you spend on it, the greater the chance that one of the chameleons will turn into a master- or arch-lich, warp to you, and cast a spell that ruins your day. You might also approach an innocuous monster in melee, only for it to turn into a minotaur or mind flayer or something equally deadly, with no way to teleport yourself away.
- About 1⁄7 of generated monsters will be nymphs, with the corresponding hazards of losing your weapon and armor and having your wands used against you. Guardian nagas are also quite common and can inflict paralysis.
- The goal level is split into multiple sections by non-diggable walls, with no walkable path between the stairs and Nemesis. Because the goal is a non-teleport level, gaining access to the Master Assassin is non-trivial.
Acquire magic resistance if possible before entering the home level, and be ready to engrave Elbereth if a dangerous monster appears. If you have a ring of protection from shape changers, keep it on until you have hunted down all the chameleons on the level. The locate and goal levels also have several chameleons, although you generally don't have to spend much time on either of them.
If possible, close and lock the guild hall doors behind you to prevent the thugs from spilling out into the streets. Having multiple peaceful monsters makes the narrow corridors even more annoying to navigate.
Use your daggers or darts to eliminate nymphs and leprechauns from a distance, and try to avoid getting surrounded on the locate level. If you have polymorph control, polymorphing into a nymph or succubus will protect you from their theft attacks. MC3 or a ring of free action will protect you from the nagas, if you can't prevent them from closing to melee range.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
An oilskin cloak (or grease on your cloak) is also recommended, since the guardian nagas' grab attack is now functional.On the goal level, there are a number of ways of reaching the Master Assassin, in roughly decreasing order of practicality:
- Aggravate while standing on the stairs to alert the Master Assassin, who will then warp to you. Some ways to aggravate are:
- Quaff a cursed potion of invisibility.
- A cursed potion of monster detection will awaken the nemesis, but won't clear his "waiting" state, so it's not a suitable substitute.
- Read a level 2 or higher cursed spellbook (or an uncursed one with low intelligence). Note that the book may be destroyed without aggravating, and may inflict paralysis or other negative effects on you.
- Allow a shrieker to shriek at you.
- Allow a high-level spellcasting monster to cast the relevant spell (not recommended).
- Quaff a cursed potion of invisibility.
- Polymorph yourself into a xorn to phase through the walls; be sure to remove your cloak and body armor first to avoid destroying them.
- Use the psychic blast of a tame mind flayer (or polyself form) to damage the Master Assassin.
- Dig down from the previous level and hopefully land in the region where the quest nemesis is and wake him. After waking him, leave the level by quaffing a cursed potion of gain level, reading a cursed scroll of teleportation or reading the uncursed scroll while confused. You can then meet the Master Assassin at the stairs by descending them normally, and he will warp to you.
- Be prepared to do this multiple times if you land in one of the other two sections without the Nemesis. Note that levelporting without teleport control has a chance of failing, and teleport control is not guaranteed to work while confused.
- Apply a drum of earthquake, which may wake up the Master Assassin.
History
The sharks in the $-shaped pool were not present until NetHack 3.3.0.
This page is based on a spoiler by Dylan O'Donnell. The original license is:
Redistribution, copying, and editing of these spoilers, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
- The original contributors to any spoiler must continue to be credited.
- Any modifications to the spoiler must be acknowledged and credited.
