Pelias

From NetHackWiki
Revision as of 22:39, 29 February 2024 by Umbire the Phantom (talk | contribs) (Origin: word choice)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Pelias, @, is the Barbarian quest leader. He is a strong, omnivorous human that can be seen via infravision.

Pelias has a single weapon attack. Like the quest guardian chieftains and other Barbarians, he has intrinsic poison resistance.

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.

Per commit 20cbadcf, killing quest leaders no longer makes the game unwinnable, and Pelias and other quest leaders are given stat buffs and additional equipment to compensate. Pelias's speed is increased to 15, his MR score becomes 90, and he has two 4d10 weapon attacks.

Generation

Pelias resides within the structure that sits on the west side of the Barbarian quest's home level, occupying the throne in the left half.

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.

As part of commit 20cbadcf, Pelias always generates with +5 chain mail and a +5 runesword.

History

Pelias is introduced with most other quest leaders in NetHack 3.1.0.

Origin

Pelias shares his name with a character from The Scarlet Citadel, a Conan short story written by Robert E. Howard - the encyclopedia entry originates from its reprinting in 1967 collection Conan the Usurper. This Pelias is one of the rare sorcerers to ally with Conan: after Conan, king of Aquilonia, is betrayed and imprisoned within a Korshemish dungeon by the machinations of the Kothian wizard, he meets Pelias, a former rival wizard of Tsotha-lanti. Pelias frees Conan and helps him escape the dungeon, allowing Conan to regain his position as king of Aquilonia while Pelias later avenges himself against Tsotha-lanti.

Variants

Some variants make Pelias and other quest leaders stronger to accommodate changes to the Quest and its entry mechanics, and these changes may be incorporated into upcoming versions of NetHack or else be borrowed from them.

SporkHack

In SporkHack, Pelias has his difficulty increased to 24. Pelias's speed is increased to 15, his MR score is 90, and he has two 4d10 weapon attacks. He also gains flight, sleep resistance and stoning resistance.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, Pelias has his difficulty increased to 23 and is given an additional 0d6 monster spell attack. All 10 points of his effective 0 base AC are in the protection category.

xNetHack

In xNetHack, Pelias's stats and difficulty are improved as in SporkHack minus the flight and resistances.

SpliceHack

In SpliceHack, Pelias's stats are improved as in SporkHack minus the difficulty increase, flight and resistances.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, Pelias's stats and resistances are improved as in SporkHack minus the flight and difficulty increase.

Pelias always generates with +5 chain mail and a +5 runesword. If The Ring of P'hul is successfully wished for by a non-Barbarian, there is a xx+1 chance (where x is the amount of previous artifact wishes) of a hostile Pelias generating adjacent to the character with the artifact in his possession.

All of the above information also applies to Hack'EM.

Encyclopedia entry

Conan cried out sharply and recoiled, thrusting his companion
back. Before them rose the great shimmering white form of Satha,
an ageless hate in its eyes. Conan tensed himself for one mad
berserker onslaught -- to thrust the glowing faggot into that
fiendish countenance and throw his life into the ripping sword-
stroke. But the snake was not looking at him. It was glaring
over his shoulder at the man called Pelias, who stood with his
arms folded, smiling. And in the great, cold, yellow eyes
slowly the hate died out in a glitter of pure fear -- the only
time Conan ever saw such an expression in a reptile's eyes.
With a swirling rush like the sweep of a strong wind, the great
snake was gone.
"What did he see to frighten him?" asked Conan, eyeing his
companion uneasily.
"The scaled people see what escapes the mortal eye," answered
Pelias cryptically. "You see my fleshy guise, he saw my naked
soul."

[ Conan the Usurper, by Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp ]