Stranger
The Stranger, @, is a type of monster that appears in dNetHack and notdNetHack. It is a powerful insight monster that normally only appears in the Madman quest: once a Madman picks up their quest artifact, The Star of Hypernotus, the Stranger will begin harassing them from that point on until they gain enough insight to perceive it directly, at which point it will attack.
The Stranger is covetous and has six attacks per round of combat: it has two strong weapon attacks, a claw attack that can steal quest artifacts, a second claw attack that can steal the Amulet of Yendor, and will attempt to cast two clerical monster spells.
Strategy
A Madman does not need to face the Stranger immediately upon retrieving the Star, and it is highly unwise to do so besides: the Stranger's spell repertoire includes various mummy curses, particularly effects that can wipe out your Luck, curse items, or ever shred your current HP to 1/3 and cause you to lose turns by screaming. The ideal approach is to find a way to manage the Stranger's effects as it stalks the character throughout the next phase of the game, all the while preparing for when they gain enough insight to directly confront the Stranger and end its harassment.
Encyclopedia entry
Camilla: You, sir, should unmask.
Stranger: Indeed?
Cassilda: Indeed, it's time. We all have laid aside disguise but you.
Stranger: I wear no mask.
Camilla: (Terrified, aside to Cassilda) No mask? No mask!
[ The King in Yellow by Robert Chambers ]
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