Fortune

NetHack includes two files of one-line fortunes; these are rumors.fal and rumors.tru. You can find random fortunes (selected from these files) stuffed in fortune cookies, written in the dust of the dungeon floor, and through minor consultations from the Oracle.

As a spoiler, some players read both files. The messages in rumor.tru tend to be useful hints, while the ones in rumor.fal tend to be false or useless. Unspoiled players can buy consultations from the Oracle, because the other sources of fortunes are rare.

Examples from rumor.tru:

• Dogs are superstitious; they never step on cursed items.
• It is the letter 'c' and not 'e' that changes status to statue.
• Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.

It is true that pets do not step on cursed items, but as an exception they can step "reluctantly". It is true that a floating eye e cannot make you a statue, but a chickatrice or cockatrice c would. The third fortune might be true, but does it help?

Examples from rumor.fal:

• A lizard corpse is a good thing to turn undead.
• Sorry, no fortune this time. Better luck next cookie!
• Wet towels make great weapons!

Indeed, some players have dipped their towels into water and wielded them, but the result has never been effective.