Heptagram
- For the substitute for Elbereth in AceHack, see Elbereth#AceHack.
In dNetHack, notdNetHack, and notnotdNetHack, the heptagram is a ward which scares some monsters when engraved on the floor. Heptagrams can be reinforced up to 7-fold, with each level of reinforcement taking 21 strokes to draw. With a fast engraving tool each reinforcement takes 2 turns to draw, or 21 turns with a slow engraving tool. It gains no secondary effects at higher levels of reinforcement.
The following monsters are warded by heptagrams:
- all monsters except those with the following attributes:
Undead and werecreature monster variants of the above types of monster are affected by heptagrams.
Generation
Scrolls of heptagram do not randomly generate. Writing a scroll of heptagram with a magic marker costs 8 charges. Scrolls of heptagram can be wished for.
Rings engraved with a heptagram ward cannot be wished for.
Heptagrams only appear in level 7 spellbooks, with a 1⁄4 chance.
Crowning teaches the heptagram ward to all roles except Binders.
Description
Standing on a square with a heptagram engraved prevents Pale Night's seduction attack.
Like the Circle of Acheron and Hexagram, Heptagrams guard against the touch of death spell, preventing monsters from casting them.
Heptagrams appear as "x-fold heptagram" on the floor.
Encyclopedia entry
The heptagram, a sevenpointed star, is an obvious development
of the pentagram, once it was discovered. The number seven is
well known in symbolism. The traditional seven planets (the
wandering celestial bodies as opposed to the fixed stars) were
associated with seven celestial spheres, thus the old
expression "to be in seventh heaven". The names of the seven
days of the week may have been derived from the ordering of
planets based on orbital period according to the paths of the
heptagram.
[ Adapted from symbols.com, the online encyclopedia of
Western signs and ideograms ]
The heptagram ward requires 21 strokes to draw, and is one of
the most broadly effective wards. It may be reinforced up to
seven times.
