Difference between revisions of "Lord Surtur"

From NetHackWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(format, origin)
(expand origin)
Line 34: Line 34:
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
Lord Surter first appears with most other quest nemeses in [[NetHack 3.1.0]].
+
Lord Surtur first appears with most other quest nemeses in [[NetHack 3.1.0]].
  
 
==Origin==
 
==Origin==
 
{{wikipedia|Surtr}}
 
{{wikipedia|Surtr}}
Lord Surtur's depiction draws directly from his appearance in Norse folklore; the mythological name is spelled "'''Surtr'''" in Old Norse, and "Surtur" in modern-day Icelandic.
+
Lord Surtur's depiction draws from his appearance in Norse folklore; the mythological name is spelled "'''Surtr'''" in Old Norse, and "Surtur" in modern-day Icelandic. Surtr is a jötunn attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Surtr is foretold as a major figure during the events of Ragnarök, with additional information given in a book from the Prose Edda: Surtr is stationed guarding the frontier of the fiery realm Múspell, and will lead "Múspell's sons" to Ragnarök from the south, bringing "the scathe of branches" (i.e. fire); "the sun of Gods of the Slain" (or ''sól valtiva'') shines from his sword.
  
Surtr is a jötunn attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Surtr is foretold as a major figure during the events of Ragnarök: carrying his bright sword, he will go to battle against the Æsir, fight and defeat the god Freyr, and afterward the flames that he brings forth will engulf the Earth. In a book from the Prose Edda, additional information is given about Surtr: he is stationed guarding the frontier of the fiery realm Múspell, and will lead "Múspell's sons" to Ragnarök.
+
Surtr will lead the army of Múspell to Vígríðr, the field of the fated battle against the Æsir, with his army tearing open the skies and spreading flames all around them; the sons of Múspell will ride over the bridge Bifröst and break it. Loki and the frost jötnar will have arrived there alongside the wolf Fenrir and the Midgard Serpent, Jörmungandr. A fierce battle will later occur between the army of Múspell and the Æsir, with Surtr engaging in combat against the god Freyr and eventually defeating him; once Heimdallr and Loki fight and mutually kill one another, Surtr "will fling fire over the earth and burn the whole world", followed by the eventual rise of a new world from the sea, in which the surviving gods will meet again.
  
 
==Encyclopedia entry==
 
==Encyclopedia entry==

Revision as of 07:04, 24 April 2023

Lord Surtur, H, is the Valkyrie quest nemesis. He is a fire giant that guards the Bell of Opening and the Valkyrie quest artifact, The Orb of Fate.

Like any other fire giant, eating Lord Surtur's corpse may grant fire resistance with a 50% chance (compare to 30% from any other fire giant), and also has a chance to raise the player's strength.

Generation

Lord Surtr awaits you in the center of his fortress on the goal level, meditating with the quest artifact and Bell of Opening beneath him.

Strategy

Lord Surtur can be defeated easily by a prepared Valkyrie, who can easily use their innate stealth to clear the area of fire ants and his fellow fire giants before engaging him. Even so, he is likely one of the first covetous enemies a Valkyrie will meet, and novice players in particular must still handle him carefully. As a monster that is fire resistant but not cold resistant, he will take extra damage from cold attacks, such as a wand of cold.

Like all other quest nemeses, you can also awaken him remotely and bring him to you. Lord Surtur respects Elbereth and the scroll of scare monster, and can be killed instantly with a wand of death. A wand of polymorph or wand of sleep may also work to incapacitate him, but may take a few attempts due to his relatively high MR.

The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.

Lord Surtur, like all uniques, no longer respects either Elbereth or scrolls of scare monster.

History

Lord Surtur first appears with most other quest nemeses in NetHack 3.1.0.

Origin

Lord Surtur's depiction draws from his appearance in Norse folklore; the mythological name is spelled "Surtr" in Old Norse, and "Surtur" in modern-day Icelandic. Surtr is a jötunn attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Surtr is foretold as a major figure during the events of Ragnarök, with additional information given in a book from the Prose Edda: Surtr is stationed guarding the frontier of the fiery realm Múspell, and will lead "Múspell's sons" to Ragnarök from the south, bringing "the scathe of branches" (i.e. fire); "the sun of Gods of the Slain" (or sól valtiva) shines from his sword.

Surtr will lead the army of Múspell to Vígríðr, the field of the fated battle against the Æsir, with his army tearing open the skies and spreading flames all around them; the sons of Múspell will ride over the bridge Bifröst and break it. Loki and the frost jötnar will have arrived there alongside the wolf Fenrir and the Midgard Serpent, Jörmungandr. A fierce battle will later occur between the army of Múspell and the Æsir, with Surtr engaging in combat against the god Freyr and eventually defeating him; once Heimdallr and Loki fight and mutually kill one another, Surtr "will fling fire over the earth and burn the whole world", followed by the eventual rise of a new world from the sea, in which the surviving gods will meet again.

Encyclopedia entry

Yet first was the world in the southern region, which was named Muspell; it is light and hot; that region is glowing and burning, and impassable to such as are outlanders and have not their holdings there. He who sits there at the land's-end, to defend the land, is called Surtr; he brandishes a flaming sword, and at the end of the world he shall go forth and harry, and overcome all the gods, and burn all the world with fire.

[ The Prose Edda, by Snorri Sturluson ]