Priest quest
The Priest quest sees you fighting Nalzok for The Mitre of Holiness. For more information on the quest branch in general, see the quest article.
Every level of the Priest quest is considered a graveyard level, regardless of whether it contains a graveyard, meaning undead monsters are less likely to leave corpses.
| Home level | The Great Temple |
|---|---|
| Locate level | The Temple of Nalzok |
| Goal level | Nalzok's Lair |
| Leader | The Arch Priest |
| Guardians | acolytes |
| Nemesis | Nalzok |
| Quest Artifact | The Mitre of Holiness |
Contents
Levels
Random monsters on this Quest are generated with the following frequencies:
- 96/175 (55%) human zombie
- 24/175 (14%) random Z
- 24/175 (14%) wraith
- 6/175 (3%) random W
- 1/7 (14%) normal random monster
The Great Temple
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The two-way magic portal back to the Dungeons of Doom is at the marked point to top left. Each floor space in the 11 leftmost and rightmost columns (marked in green above), other than the portal, has a 10% chance of being a tree. The room with the unaligned altar is a desecrated temple lacking its aligned priest; the Arch Priest is next to the altar, and eight acolytes inhabit the room. There are twelve human zombies surrounding the Temple. In addition to the two marked dart traps inside the doors, there are four random other traps on the level.
The level is no-teleport and has an undiggable floor; the walls are also undiggable, but trees may be chopped down.
Upper filler level
This is an "ordinary" room-and-corridor level, with six rooms (two of which are graveyards). In addition to the usual undead and boxes in the graveyards, the level contains two human zombies and one wraith; nine random objects; and four random traps.
The Temple of Nalzok
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The above core of the level is surrounded by empty ground, containing the upstair a little way to the right of the mapped area. The unaligned temple has both its attendant priest of Moloch, and another hostile priest nearby; fighting the hostile priest will not anger the peaceful one. The entire mapped area outside the temple is a graveyard, filled with the usual assortment of undead. In addition to the boxes of the graveyard, the four corner chambers of the temple each contain four random objects (except the northwestern corner, which contains 3); each also contains a marked random trap, and there are two other random traps located in the mapped area. The entire level has undiggable walls and floor. Teleportation is permitted.
Lower filler level(s)
These are "ordinary" room-and-corridor levels, with six rooms (three of which are graveyards). In addition to the usual undead and boxes in the graveyard, each level contains three human zombies and three wraiths; eleven random objects; and four random traps.
Nalzok's Lair
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The above core of the level is surrounded by empty lava plain. Nalzok, with the Bell of Opening and the Mitre of Holiness, is at one of the two points marked & (randomly chosen); also in the mapped area are sixteen human zombies, eight wraiths, two random Z, and one random W; fourteen random objects; four fire traps, and two other random traps. Teleportation is permitted.
Messages
Entry
First time:
You find yourself standing in sight of the Great Temple. Something is obviously wrong here. The doors to the Great Temple, which usually stand open, are closed. Strange human shapes shamble around outside. You realize that the Arch Priest needs your assistance!
Next time:
Once again, you stand before the Great Temple.
If already rejected twice due to bad alignment:
Again you face the Great Temple. Your intuition hints that this may be the final time you come here.
Quest guardians
If #chatting before the quest is complete:
"Greetings, honored <currentrank>. It is good to see you." "Ah, <playername>! Surely you can help us in our hour of need." "Greetings, <brother|sister>. The Arch Priest has great need of your help." "Alas, it seems as if even <deity> has deserted us." "May <deity> be with you, <brother|sister>."
If #chatting after the quest is complete:
"Greetings, <currentrank>. It is good to see you again." "Ah, <playername>! Our deepest gratitude for all of your help." "Welcome back, <brother|sister>! With the Mitre of Holiness, no undead can stand against us." "Praise be to <deity>, for delivering us from Nalzok." "May <deity> be with you, <brother|sister>."
Quest leader
When you first meet your quest leader:
"Ah, <playername>, my <son|daughter>. You have returned to us at last. A great blow has befallen our order; perhaps you can help us. First, however, I must determine if you are prepared for this great challenge."
When you return, having been rejected due to lack of experience:
"Again, my <son|daughter>, you stand before me. Are you ready now to help us?"
This message is not currently used:
"Once more, <playername>, you stand within the sanctum. Are you ready now?"
When you are expelled from the quest for having failed the alignment test seven times:
"You are a heretic, <playername>! How can you, a <currentrank>, deviate so from the teachings of <deity>? Begone from this temple. You are no longer a <brother|sister> to this order. We will pray to <deity> for other assistance, as you have failed us utterly."
When being rejected due to lack of experience:
"Alas, <playername>, it is not yet to be. A mere <currentrank> could never withstand the might of Nalzok. Go forth, again into the world, and return when you have attained the post of Curate."
When being rejected due to having worse than pious alignment:
"This is terrible, <playername>. You have deviated from the true path! You know that <deity> requires the most strident devotion of this order. The <brother|sister>hood must stand for utmost piety. "Go from here, atone for your sins against <deity>. Return only when you have purified yourself."
When finally assigned the quest:
"Yes, <playername>. You are truly ready now. Attend to me and I shall tell you of what has transpired: "At one of the Great Festivals a short time ago, Nalzok and a legion of undead invaded the Great Temple. Many acolytes were killed, including the one carrying the Mitre of Holiness. "As a final act of vengefulness, Nalzok desecrated the altar here. Without it, we could not mount a counter-attack. Now, there are barely enough acolytes left to keep the undead at bay. "We need you to find the Temple of Nalzok, then, from there, travel to Nalzok's lair. If you can manage to defeat Nalzok and return the Mitre of Holiness here, we can then drive off the legions of undead that befoul the land. "Go with <deity> as your guide, <playername>."
Encouragement
If you subsequently chat to your quest leader, you are encouraged:
"You can prevail, if you rely on <deity>." "Remember that Nalzok has great magic at his command." "Be pure, my <son|daughter>." "Beware, the Temple of Nalzok is surrounded by a great graveyard." "You may be able to affect Nalzok with magical cold." "Acquire and wear the Mitre of Holiness if you can. It will aid you against Nalzok." "Call upon <deity> when your need is greatest. You will be answered." "The undead legions are weakest during the daylight hours." "Do not lose faith, <playername>. If you do so, Nalzok will grow stronger." "Wear the Mitre of Holiness. It will assist you against the undead."
Locate and goal levels
When first entering the locate level:
You stand facing a large graveyard. The sky above is filled with clouds that seem to get thicker closer to the center. You sense the presence of undead in larger numbers than you have ever encountered before. You remember the descriptions of the Temple of Nalzok, given to you by The Arch Priest. It is ahead that you will find Nalzok's trail.
When returning:
Again, you stand before the Temple of Nalzok.
When first entering the goal level:
The stench of brimstone is all about you, and the shrieks and moans of tortured souls assault your psyche. Ahead, there is a small clearing amidst the bubbling pits of lava...
When returning:
Again, you have invaded Nalzok's domain.
Quest nemesis
When first encountering the quest nemesis:
"Ah, so The Arch Priest has sent another acolyte to retrieve the Mitre of Holiness. "No, I see you are no acolyte. Perhaps I shall have some fun today after all. Prepare to die, <currentrank>! You shall never regain the Mitre of Holiness!
Upon further meetings:
"So, <currentrank>. Again you challenge me."
And on the 4th and subsequent meetings:
"Die now, <currentrank>. <deity> has no power here to aid you."
When you have the Mitre of Holiness, but Nalzok is still alive:
"You shall die, <currentrank>, and I will have the Mitre of Holiness back."
Discouragement
Nalzok will occasionally utter maledictions:
"Submit to my will, Priest, and I shall spare you." "Your puny powers are no match for me, Priest." "I shall have you turned into a zombie for my pleasure!" "Despair now, <currentrank>. <deity> cannot help you." "I shall feast upon your soul for many days, Priest." "Your death will be slow and painful. That I promise!" "You cannot defeat Nalzok, you fool. I shall kill you now." "Your precious Arch Priest will be my next victim." "I feel your powers failing you, <currentrank>. You shall die now." "With the Mitre of Holiness, nothing can stand in my way."
Victory
When picking up your quest artifact:
As you pick up the Mitre of Holiness, you feel the essence of <deity> fill your soul. You know now why Nalzok stole it from the Great Temple, for with it, a Priest of <deity> could easily defeat his plans. You sense a message from <deity>. Though not verbal, you get the impression that you must return to The Arch Priest as soon as possible.
When killing the nemesis:
You feel a wrenching shift in the ether as Nalzok's body dissolves
into a cloud of noxious gas.
Suddenly, a voice booms out:
Thou hast defeated the least of my minions, <currentrank>.
Know now that Moloch is aware of thy presence.
As for thee, Nalzok, I shall deal with thy failure
at my leisure.
You then hear the voice of Nalzok, screaming in terror...
When returning to your quest leader:
"You have returned, <playername>. And with the Mitre of Holiness, I see. Congratulations. "I have been in meditation, and have received direction from a minion of <deity>. <deity> commands that you retain the Mitre of Holiness. With it, you must recover the Amulet of Yendor. "Go forth, and let <deity> guide your steps."
When subsequently throwing the Mitre of Holiness to the Arch Priest:
The Arch Priest reiterates that the Mitre of Holiness is yours now. "The time has come to resume your search for the Amulet. The Dungeons of Doom await your return through the magic portal that brought you here."
Post-quest
When talking to the Arch Priest after the quest:
"Welcome back, <playername>. How is your quest for the Amulet going?"
When talking to the Arch Priest after getting the Amulet:
"You have prevailed, <playername>! <deity> is surely with you. Now, you must take the amulet, and sacrifice it on <deity>'s altar on the Astral plane. I suspect that I shall never see you again in this life, but I hope to at <deity>'s feet."
Strategy
Most of the undead created on this quest generate asleep in graveyards, making stealth a good property to have so you can fight them one by one and at your own pace. Drain resistance is also recommended due to the sheer number of wraiths and vampires that appear in the graveyards: you can protect yourself by wielding an artifact that confers drain resistance (i.e. Excalibur, Stormbringer, or the Staff of Aesculapius); you can also obtain drain resistance from controlled polyself, either by becoming a monster with drain resistance or gaining lycanthropy and using polymorph control or unchanging to suppress the transformation.
If full protection against level drain attacks is not obtainable or else proves impractical (e.g., you may be holding off on artifacts in order to make later wishes), then you can minimize the effects by obtaining MC3 and/or carrying a means to restore lost levels, most ideally a blessed potion of restore ability or two; a blessed potion of full healing can also restore a lost level, but at the cost of decreasing your maximum level by one. An uncommon solution is to eat a tripe ration, which provides a single experience point; level drain leaves you one point away from regaining your previous level, making tripe viable as a solution for the occasional lost level.
Locate level
An effective way to clear the undead outside the Temple in the locate level is to use use the #turn extended command - of course, one should be aware of live monsters sprinkled amongst the undead, and ideally should be tanky enough in case they take multiple turns worth of hits while incapacitated. In addition, do not underestimate the hostile priest of Moloch - if you have no magic resistance, dispose of them before they have a chance to cast their clerical spells, and beware if they generate with a cloak of magic resistance. If your only source of magic resistance is worn armor, be careful around foocubi that can remove that armor. The stairs can also be used to your advantage to funnel the hordes of undead and other monsters through - be careful not to get surrounded too far from the upstairs.
Wraith farming
The presence of wraiths as the second quest monster and as a frequent sight in graveyards makes this quest branch a highly-tempting place to farm for experience levels - as every level is a graveyard level, however, you will have to lure them out of the branch in some manner; this usually takes the form of having the wraith(s) follow you up each up staircase, eventually guiding them towards and into the portal between the Quest and the main dungeon. Once a wraith is lured to the main dungeon, they can be killed for the best chance of a corpse drop - remember that when attempting to eat wraiths, there is a 1⁄7 chance of a "rotten food" message occurring and causing the corpse to rot away immediately.
As above, stealth and either drain resistance or MC3 is recommended if you take this approach; a priest's starting robe provides MC2, and can either be replaced with a cloak of protection or supplemented with a ring of protection to obtain MC3. A source of speed will also allow the player to keep a safe distance most of the time. With a solid supply of nutrition (such as the various rations that can found in containers within graveyards) and optionally a ring of slow digestion, a patient player can easily reach level 30 this way. While slower and less reliable, you can also repeatedly cast the create monster near the portal - there is a 14% chance of a wraith being generated this way.
Some players farming through either method choose to target vampires or zombies for a blessed scroll of genocide in order to increase the amount of wraiths generated randomly and in the Quest's graveyards.
Variants
In the Biodiversity patch, there are many different start levels, each corresponding to a pantheon. For example, if you worship caveman gods, you will get a ziggurat.
This page is based on a spoiler by Dylan O'Donnell. The original license is:
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