The Eye of the Aethiopica

"   The Eye of the Aethiopica
Base item	amulet of ESP
Affiliation	neutral Wizard intelligent
When carried	faster energy regeneration half spell damage
When worn	magic resistance telepathy
When invoked	branchport
Base price	4000 zm
Weight	20

The Eye of the Aethiopica is the Wizard quest artifact. It is the prize for completing the wizard quest, and is neutral for wishing purposes. Its base item is an amulet of ESP.

Effects

While carried, the Eye provides half spell damage and fast power regeneration. While worn, in addition to normal extrinsic telepathy, it further confers magic resistance. With fast power regeneration, you restore at least one power per turn. You can #invoke the Eye to branchport, which immediately teleports you to another dungeon branch that you have visited.

Branchporting

If the topmost level for the target branch is at or deeper than your current level, then you arrive at the entry level. Otherwise, you arrive at the deepest previously-visited level of the target branch. For example:

• If you port from the quest Home level to Sokoban, Sokoban is between Dlvl:9 and Dlvl:6, and you have visited Sokoban Dlvl:6, you will arrive at Sokoban Dlvl:6. ("Deepest" means topmost for Sokoban and Vlad's Tower.)
• If you are currently on Dlvl:14 in the Dungeons of Doom, Mines' End is at Dlvl:10, you have visited Mines' End, and you port to the Gnomish Mines, you will arrive at Mines' End.
• If you are currently on Dlvl:2 in the Dungeons of Doom, the Gnomish Mines start at Dlvl:3, and you port to the Gnomish Mines, you will arrive at the entry level on Dlvl:3.
• If the Quest is on Dlvl:14, you are anywhere between Dlvl:1 and Dlvl:14, and you port to the Quest, you arrive in the Home level.
• From any other branch to the Dungeons of Doom, you will always go to the deepest previously-visited level.
• From any other branch (except Vlad's Tower) to Gehennom, you will always go to the Valley of the Dead.

Attempting to branchport to the branch you are currently in (or from the End Game or while carrying the Amulet of Yendor) gives the message "You feel very disoriented for a moment" and has no effect. Adjacent monsters that normally follow you up stairs will follow you through the gate into the new branch.

A typical branchport menu might look like:

                                  Open a portal to which dungeon?
----------
|........-####      ------------- a - The Dungeons of Doom
|........|   #######-...........| b - Gehennom
|........|          |...........| c - The Gnomish Mines
----------          |..@........| d - The Quest
                    --------+---- e - Sokoban
                            #     f - Fort Ludios
                            #     (end)

Strategy

The fast power regeneration and magic resistance combined with the base item makes the Eye of the Aethiopica a highly sought-after choice of a wish for neutral non-Wizard spellcasters. If you plan to wish for it, take note of the second "the" in its name.

Branchporting using the Eye is a common method to transport wraiths from the Valley of the Dead, so they are more likely to leave corpses, and it makes Sokoban a more accessible and ideal stash location. Since this is at quite a shallow depth, you can usually return quickly by digging down with a pick-axe, or else branchporting back to the last dungeon level on which you interrupted your journey. You can also transport foocubi to Sokoban or another level where a lack of armor is less instantly hazardous.

History

In NetHack 3.4.3, the Eye of the Aethiopica also conferred magic resistance when carried in the inventory, and branchporting to Sokoban or Vlad's Tower would always bring you to the branch's bottom floor.

Mythology

Aethiopica (Αἰθιοπικά) simply means "Ethiopian" in Ancient Greek. The name is most likely a reference to the influential ancient Greek novel Aethiopica, which takes place in ancient Ethiopia at various points; Charicleia, one of the main characters, has a dream about an eye being cut out.

Encyclopedia entry

This is a powerful amulet of ESP. In addition to its standard powers, it regenerates the energy of anyone who carries it, allowing them to cast spells more often. It also reduces any spell damage to the person who carries it by half, and protects from magic missiles. Finally, when invoked it has the power to instantly open a portal to any other area of the dungeon, allowing its invoker to travel quickly between areas.