Lemure

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A lemure, i, is a type of monster that appears in NetHack. The lemure is a medium-sized minor demon that has infravision, can be seen via infravision, possesses regeneration, and will follow the hero to other levels if it is adjacent.

A lemure has a single claw attack, and possesses sleep resistance and poison resistance.

Lemures are poisonous to eat, which primarily comes up if they are digested by another monster.

One of the random epitaphs found on randomly generated graves may read "Postman, please note forwarding address: Gehennom, Asmodeus's Fortress, fifth lemure on the left".

Generation

Randomly generated lemures are only created in Gehennom, are always created hostile and may appear in large groups. A manes can grow up into a lemure.

Three lemures generate on the skull-shaped island in Juiblex's swamp at level creation.

A lemure never leaves a corpse upon death.

Strategy

While supposedly a more powerful version of the manes, the lemure is just as slow and has only one attack - it should be no trouble at all to any hero that encounters them.

History

The lemure first appears in NetHack 3.0.0.

Origin

Lemures are shades or spirits of the restless or malignant dead in Roman mythology, said to represent those not afforded proper burial, funeral rites or affectionate cult by the living.

Variants

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, lemures require a +1 weapon or better to hit, and hit as a +1 weapon themselves - however, this does not make them that much stronger in practice.

SLASH'EM introduces the lemure pit special room, which contains several lemures - however, it can only appear in Gehennom, which has no places for special rooms to generate.

Twenty-four lemures are generated randomly around Dispater's lair at level creation. A lemure is among the loyal tame minor demons that can be given as minions to chaotic heroes via sacrifice or prayer at experience levels 1-6.

UnNetHack

In UnNetHack, six lemure pits appear in Asmodeus' Lair, which is adapted from the map of the same level in SLethe.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, lemures are significantly changed from NetHack: their level is lowered to 2, their difficulty is lowered to 4, they are made amorphous and lawful, and they are considered demons.

Lemures can randomly generate in the main dungeon, and may appear in the court of a throne room ruled by a kobold lord.

xNetHack

In xNetHack, lemures and other minor demons take +d6 damage from being hit with iron weapons and items.

SpliceHack

In SpliceHack, six lemure pits appear in Asmodeus' Lair, as in UnNetHack. Four or five lemures are generated in Baalzebub's Lair at level creation.

Encyclopedia entry

The Larvae (Lemures) are Roman spirits of deceased family members. These malignant spirits dwell throughout the house and frighten the inhabitants. People tried to reconcile or avert the Larvae with strange ceremonies which took place on May 9, 11, and 13; this was called the "Feast of the Lemures". The master of the house usually performed these ceremonies, either by offering black beans to the spirits or chasing them away by making a lot of noise. Their counterparts are the Lares, friendly and beneficent house spirits.

[ Encyclopedia Mythica, ed. M.F. Lindemans ]