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| | + | The beginning of a player's '''story''' is described in the [[Introduction]]: the player must give the [[Amulet of Yendor]] to their god or die trying. There are some points in the game that extend or even contradict the plot described in the Introduction. However even with those extra details the story is still simple, perhaps deliberately so. |
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| − | In NetHack, very few actions are mandatory, many features are randomized, and there are many ways to achieve almost anything. This adds to the strategic challenge and makes the game interesting to replay. As a side effect, there is almost no "story" in the sense of most other games.
| + | Instead of an elaborate written plot, NetHack has a series of unique levels that the player must visit to gain certain items or perform certain actions necessary for [[ascension]]. The exact layout of NetHack's levels is described in the [[Mazes of Menace]] article. |
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| − | That said, the few actions that ''are'' mandatory have a bit of plot associated with them. However even these few actions don't necessarily have to be done in a particular order.
| + | == Plot beyond the Introduction == |
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| − | ==Introduction==
| + | * The player must be approved by their [[quest leader]] before going on the [[Quest]]. Failing to gain this approval may render the game [[unwinnable]], putting some limitations on how players can act prior the Quest. |
| | + | * The player can change their god using a cross-aligned [[altar]] or [[helm of opposite alignment]] |
| | + | ** The player cannot ever serve [[Marduk]], who is never mentioned after the Introduction. |
| | + | ** The player cannot ever serve [[Moloch]], in fact he kills players who [[Amulet of Yendor#Offering to Moloch|offer him the Amulet]]. |
| | + | * The [[Amulet of Yendor]] is described in the Introduction as "the most powerful of all the artifacts of the gods"; however, wearing it does not offer much power to the player. It is mainly only useful to the gods. |
| | + | * The player can [[Escaping the dungeon|escape the dungeon]] without offering the Amulet to their god. This is not considered a win. |
| | + | * The [[Astral Plane]] includes [[Riders#The_Four_Horsemen|the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]]. |
| | + | * The "good ending" to the player's story is [[ascension]]. |
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| − | {{main|Introduction}}
| + | == Why the plot is simple == |
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| − | Every game of NetHack begins with the following text:
| + | In NetHack, very few actions are mandatory, many features are randomized, and there are many ways to achieve almost anything. This adds to the strategic challenge and makes the game interesting to replay. As a side effect, there is almost no story in the sense of most other games. Indeed, a pre-written plot would hinder the random element of the gameplay. Without a script, the game is free to continue along any line the player wishes, with few actions having dramatic consequences. |
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| − | It is written in the book of (god X):
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| − | After the creation, the cruel god Moloch rebelled against the authority
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| − | of Marduk the Creator. Moloch stole from Marduk the most powerful of all
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| − | the artifacts of the gods, the Amulet of Yendor, and he hid it in the
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| − | dark cavities of Gehennom, the Under World, where he now lurks, and
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| − | bides his time.
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| − | Your god (god X) seeks to possess the Amulet, and with it to gain deserved
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| − | ascendance over other gods.
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| − |
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| − | You, a newly trained (title X), have been heralded from birth as the instrument
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| − | of (god X). You are destined to recover the Amulet to your deity, or die in
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| − | the attempt. Your hour of destiny has come. For the sake of us all:
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| − | Go bravely with (god X)!
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| − | The fact that the text is pretty much the same for every character is a hint that each NetHack [[god]] is pretty much [[Convert#Converting yourself|interchangeable]], except for [[Moloch]].
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| − | The in-game introduction somewhat contradicts the introduction provided in the [[Guidebook]], which does not mention the player's god at all. The Guidebook instead claims that "you have begun to find yourself unfulfilled and distant in your daily occupation" and have started having dreams of adventure. The Guidebook introduction also implies that there is an inn just a few days of travel away from the [[Mazes of Menace]], full of people [[YAAP|exchanging stories]] about the [[Amulet of Yendor]].
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| − | The Guidebook's account of the situation has varied; in the past it has said you "have just finished your years as a student at the local adventurer's guild" and were sent to recover the amulet by the guildmasters. This version did mention gods inasmuch as "according to legend, the gods will grant immortality to the one who recovers this artifact". In later versions you are told that you have "exhausted your own meager financial resources, as well as those of your parents", compelling you to turn to adventuring.
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| − | ==Early game==
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| − | Each dungeon is guaranteed to contain the [[Gnomish Mines]] and [[Sokoban]]. The player does not need to interact with any of them, but they do imply a lot about the setting. The mines are profitable enough to support an entire underground [[Minetown|town]]. Meanwhile in the main dungeon, there is apparently enough economic activity to support the [[Oracle]], several [[shop|shops]], and a [[Keystone Kop|rather ineffective police force]].
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| − | This part of the game is dominated by the player's search for food and equipment. The story is simply "survive".
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| − | ==Quest==
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| − | {{main|Quest}}
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| − | Eventually after gaining sufficient [[experience]], the player must return to their homeland to embark on a quest specific to their [[role]]. For whatever reason, the [[quest nemesis]] carries the [[Bell of Opening]] in addition to the role-specific [[quest artifact]], making the quest mandatory.
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| − | Going on the quest requires the player to live up to the [[alignment record|morals of their people]], and generally concludes with killing the quest nemesis. While that seems to be the intended plot, it is entirely possible for player to let the nemesis live, take the Bell of Opening while leaving the quest artifact behind, or even kill the [[quest leader]]. This is usually tougher than just following the plot normally. In fact angering or killing the quest leader before obtaining the Bell of Opening can render the game [[unwinnable]].
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| − | ==Medusa's Island==
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| − | {{main|Medusa's Island}}
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| − | The player will eventually encounter a level full of islands and [[pool|water]]. How the [[kelp frond|kelp fronds]] grow in an underground ocean is anybody's guess. At some point the player enters [[Medusa]]'s lair because it has the only stairs to the next level, and one of them will ''probably'' kill the other.
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| − | Even if Medusa's Island is skipped by digging, the player will have to traverse it on the way back up. So the player must eventually have the resources to traverse water and get past Medusa.
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| − | There is a statue of [[Perseus]] on the level, which suggests that his showdown with Medusa did not follow the Greek legend.
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| − | ==Castle==
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| − | {{main|Castle}}
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| − | At the bottom of the [[Dungeons of Doom]], or perhaps the top of [[Gehennom]], is an underground castle full of [[soldier|soldiers]] and monsters. The castle inhabitants will fight to the teeth to defend their [[wand of wishing|treasure]], even if the player [[wishless|doesn't want it]] and simply needs to get to Gehennom.
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| − | ==Gehennom==
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| − | {{main|Gehennom}}
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| − | Below the Castle is Gehennom, the fiery and confusing domain of Moloch. The player's god can't help them here, but usually at this point the player is powerful enough to survive the perils they encounter. This is because most of the hard work of gathering an [[ascension kit]] is probably already complete.
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| − | Right at the start of Gehennom is the [[Valley of the Dead]], which is full of hordes of [[undead]] and a surprisingly polite [[aligned priest]] of Moloch. The priest is entirely okay with the player passing through, and is even willing to provide the player with [[protection|divine protection]] in exchange for [[gold]]. What this says about the clergy and Moloch himself is left for the player to interpret.
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| − | Deeper in Gehennom are a number of [[demon prince|demon princes]], many of who are also willing to leave the player alone in exchange for a [[bribe]]. The main exception is [[Orcus]], who also has an entire [[Orcus-town|town]] of [[shade|shades]], [[skeleton|skeletons]] and abandoned shops.
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| − | Another Gehennom denizen who cannot be reasoned with is the [[Wizard of Yendor]] himself, a powerful sorceror who lives in [[Wizard's Tower|an underground tower]] with multiple aquariums, a [[beehive]] and a [[zoo]]. "Rodney" (as the Wizard is affectionately called) holds the [[Book of the Dead]], and perhaps not coincidentally he also knows how to rise from the dead after being killed. Most players let him sleep right up until they need the Book of the Dead.
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| − | The player must also face [[Vlad the Impaler]], who holds the [[Candelabrum of Invocation]]. His [[Vlad's Tower|tower]] is not strictly in Gehennom, but is accessed from Gehennom through a magic portal. Since Vlad hasn't attached any candles to the candelabrum himself, one wonders if he actually uses it or is just keeping it safe on Moloch's behalf.
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| − | At the lowest level of Gehennom is a [[vibrating square]], where the player must complete the [[Invocation ritual]] to access an even lower, even more secret level.
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| − | The floor shakes violently under you! The walls around you begin to bend and crumble! You are standing at the top of a stairwell leading down!
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| − | Here, in [[Moloch's Sanctum]], after pushing through hordes of monsters, priests and traps, the player finally manages to grab it. The legendary artifact that the gods themselves have been coveting for millenia: the Amulet of Yendor.
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| − | ==Returning to the surface==
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| − | {{main|Ascension run}}
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| − | The player can try [[Amulet of Yendor#Offering to Moloch|offering the Amulet of Yendor back to Moloch]]. This is of course pointless, as Moloch already had the Amulet right at the start of the story. To really drive this point home, Moloch will instakill players who offer him the Amulet.
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| − | Moloch shrugs and retains dominion over <your god>, then mercilessly snuffs out your life.
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| − | Simply possessing the Amulet does not grant much power at all: definitely nothing that assists the player in combat. The main ability it provides is [[clairvoyance]]. The Amulet also restricts the player's ability to [[levelport]] and [[branchport]], while increasing the player's [[hunger]] and [[energy]] loss. Furthermore it attracts the Wizard of Yendor. Clearly, it is an artifact with little use to mere mortals.
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| − | To really reap the rewards of the Amulet player must leave the Dungeons of Doom. One obvious possibility would be to return home to through Quest portal. However, this is not the way to win the game, and the quest leader will say so. For example, here is what [[Neferet the Green]] will tell a player holding the Amulet:
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| − | "Congratulations, <playername>. I always knew that if anyone could succeed
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| − | in defeating the Wizard of Yendor and his minions, it would be you.
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| − | "Go now, and take the Amulet to the astral plane. Once there, present
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| − | the Amulet on the altar of <Thoth|Anhur>. Along the way you shall pass through the
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| − | four elemental planes. These planes are like nothing you have ever
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| − | experienced before, so be prepared!
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| − | "For this you were born, <brother|sister>! I am very proud of you."
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| − | The [[Elemental Planes]] are only accessible by climbing all the way to the upstairs of dungeon level 1 while carrying the Amulet. The Planes are extremely hazardous: the player will have to dig, fly and perhaps even swim past a multitude of monsters, including a revived Wizard of Yendor, before reaching the final level of NetHack.
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| − | ==Astral Plane==
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| − | {{main|Astral Plane}}
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| − | You arrive on the Astral Plane!
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| − | Here the High Temple of (god X) is located.
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| − | You sense alarm, hostility, and excitement in the air!
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| − | The player is not the only one who wants to offer the Amulet to their god. Each of the gods has an army of [[angel|angels]], priests and even [[player monster|their own adventurers]] who are all ready to fight to the death for the Amulet.
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| − | Even more dangerous are the [[Riders]]: Famine, Pestilence and Death. They have a more personal rivalry with the player, probably because as it turns out the player is [[Riders#War|one of them]]. The Riders have apocalyptic powers and can rise from the dead: however a player equipped for the Astral Plane is stronger still.
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| − | If the player offers the Amulet to the wrong god, they merely "escape in celestial disgrace". However switching one's religion with the [[helm of opposite alignment]] makes things entirely fine with their new deity: as hinted at the beginning the gods are ultimately interchangeable. Players who [[atheist|haven't interacted with their god at all]] have no alternate path to success, but their sense of independence won't be forgotten.
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| − | When at long last the player [[offer|offers]] the Amulet of Yendor on their god's [[high altar]], their story concludes with this:
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| − | You offer the Amulet of Yendor to [your god]...
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| − | An invisible choir sings, and you are bathed in radiance...
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| − | The voice of [your god] [booms out/booms/thunders/rings out]: "Congratulations, mortal!"
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| − | "In return to thy service, I grant thee the gift of Immortality!"
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| − | You ascend to the status of Demigod[dess]...
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| | ==See also== | | ==See also== |
| | + | * [[User:Tomsod/YANIs_and_patches/Infidel]], a patch adding an "Infidel" role with a significantly changed plot |
| | + | * [[Binder (dNetHack role)|Binder]] and [[Anachrononaut]], two [[dNetHack]] roles that also play with the game's premise |
| | * [http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/05/column_play_purposes_for_rando.php @Play: Purposes for Randomization in Game Design] | | * [http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/05/column_play_purposes_for_rando.php @Play: Purposes for Randomization in Game Design] |
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| | + | [[Category:Your character]] |
