Gorgoneion

In dNetHack, notdNetHack, and notnotdNetHack, the Gorgoneion is a ward which scares all monsters, with a few exceptions, when engraved on the floor. Gorgoneia can be reinforced up to 3-fold, with each level of reinforcement taking 60 strokes to draw. With a fast engraving tool each reinforcement takes 6 turns to draw, or 60 turns with a slow engraving tool. It gains no secondary effects at higher levels of reinforcement.

The Gorgoneion ward scares all monsters except the following:

• Type of monsters:
  • Mindless monsters
  • Great Old Ones
  • 7 Lawful angels and minions
• Other monsters:
  • K chokhmah sephirah
  • @ elder priest
  • H Lugribossk
  • . Maanzecorian

Generation

Scrolls of gorgoneion do not randomly generate. Writing a scroll of gorgoneion with a magic marker costs 8 charges. Scrolls of gorgoneion can be wished for.

Rings engraved with a Gorgoneion ward cannot be wished for and do not randomly generate.

The Gorgoneion ward does not appear in spellbooks.

In all variants of medusa's island three squares will be engraved with a gorgoneion ward, however in games where medusa's island is replaced with the Grue's Cavern the gorgoneion ward can only be learned from reading a scroll of warding while confused, or from invoking the Aegis.

Description

Unlike most other wards, the Gorgoneion ward doesn't have a 100% chance of scaring monsters that it affects. Instead, each level of reinforcement adds a 33% chance per turn to scare an affected monster, rolled individually for each monster.

The Gorgoneion ward appear as "a Gorgoneion", "a pair of Gorgoneia" or "a trio of Gorgoneia" on the floor.

Messages

Rumors

They say all beings fear the three dreadful sisters.

Encyclopedia entry

Among the Ancient Greeks the most widely-used image intended to
avert evil was that of the Gorgon, the head of which now may be
called the Gorgoneion, which features wild eyes, fangs, and
protruding tongue. The full figure of the Gorgon holds the apex
of the oldest remaining Greek temple where she is flanked by two
lionesses. The Gorgon head was mounted on the aegis and shield
of Athena.
[ Wikipedia ]
One of the most versitile wards, this 60 line emblem must
typically be prepared in advance.