Malphas
Malphas, Prince of Crows is a spirit that appears in dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack.
Ritual, seal and taboo
The seal of Malphas must be drawn around the corpse of a monster that is not a Rider and is eligible for sacrifice. The ritual itself treated similarly to a sacrifice performed by the hero at an altar, and uses up the corpse regardless of the outcome:
- If the hero is not a Binder and sacrifices a corpse that belongs to an intelligent monster of their race (i.e. they are not mindless or an animal), then they lose 2 points of luck.
- If the hero is polymorphed into a demon, they also exercise wisdom and gain a +5 bonus to alignment record. Otherwise, if they are not chaotic, they will lose one point of wisdom, abuse wisdom, take a -5 penalty to alignment record, and increase their god's anger by 3—additionally, if they are not performing this ritual in Gehennom, they will anger their god and take a -5 penalty to luck.
- If the hero sacrifices the corpse of a former pet, they take a -3 penalty to alignment record and gain the aggravate monster intrinsic permanently.
- If the hero sacrifices the corpse of a unicorn that was not their pet, they will take a -1 penalty to alignment record and accrue 10 sins if that unicorn was of the same alignment as them. Otherwise, they gain a +5 bonus to alignment record.
To remain bound to Malphas, a hero must not kill any crows by attacking them or displacing them into hazardous terrain, though they will not be penalized if a pet or another monster kills one.
Mark
A hero that has Malphas bound will have numerous crow beaks appear in their mouth. The beaks can only be seen from up close, and can be hidden with a worn mask.
Benefits
While bound, Malphas prevents the hero from being punished and nullifies murder penalties, and he also grants them skill in beast mastery.
The active powers of Malphas are as follows:
- Call Murder: The hero summons a tame crow, with its level based on their experience level and their HP adjusted accordingly—if Malphas is bound to the Pen of the Void, the crow will instead be generated with a normal monster level that is then increased by the artifact's enchantment, with an amount of HP equal to 8ML - 4 (where ML is the monster's level).
His passive powers are as follows:
- Murderer: The hero gains +2 bonuses to AC and to-hit for each crow adjacent to them.
- One of the Flock: When a hero's pet crow eats the corpse of a monster, the hero gains experience equal to the amount gained from killing that monster, regardless of whether they already killed the monster whose corpse is being eaten.
As a monster
| h Malphas (No tile) | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 32 |
| Attacks | |
| Base level | 30 |
| Base experience | 1316 |
| Speed | 20 |
| Base AC | 6 |
| Base MR | 0 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 0 (Not randomly generated) |
| Genocidable | No |
| Weight | 40 |
| Nutritional value | 20 |
| Size | tiny
|
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Malphas:
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In notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, Malphas, h, also appears as a monster that can be summoned by an Illithanachronounbinder. He is a humanoid-like animal that is carnivorous and oviparous, and is an overlord to his kind. Malphas has flight, can be seen via infravision and has a tendency to wander while moving. Like many summoned spirits, Malphas cannot be made tame.
Malphas has a strong bite attack and a strong claw attack.
Generation
Malphas is first generated when summoned from his seal by an Illithanachronounbinder. He is always created hostile, and is not a valid polymorph form or genocide target.
Malphas does not leave a corpse upon death.
Strategy
Below this point, there are major spoilers for the Illithanachronounbinder role. They can be accessed by selecting the "Role spoiler" tab.
If Malphas is killed after being summoned, he can be encountered again in the Void, a branch accessed by opening the high altar of Ilsensine the Fallen as an Illithanachronounbinder using the invoke effect of The Elder Cerebral Fluid. Malphas is placed randomly along with many other spirits of the near void on the second floor of the branch, and is generated with the "whispers" template, which makes him nonliving.
Messages
- The blood covers the <surface>!
- You used a corpse belonging to an intelligent monster of your race for the binding ritual, losing 2 points of luck.
- You find the idea of sealing a pact with the blood of your own race to be pleasing.
- You used a monster of your race in the ritual while you are polymorphed into a demon.
- You feel you'll regret this infamous offense!
- As above, but you are not a demon.
- "So this is how you repay loyalty?"
- You used a corpse belonging to a former pet for the binding ritual, losing 3 points of alignment and gaining the aggravate monster intrinsic.
- This is a grave insult to <chaos/law/balance>!
- You used a corpse belonging to a co-aligned unicorn, losing 1 point of alignment and gaining 10 sins.
- You feel appropriately <aligned>.
- You feel you are thoroughly on the right path.
- You used a corpse belonging to a cross-aligned unicorn, gaining 5 points of alignment. The second line is used if you are already at your maximum alignment record.
- Your sacrifice is accepted.
- A murder of crows descends on the seal.
- There is something else in the flock...
- Your attempt to bind Malphas proceeds.
- You hear many wings.
- This replaces the lines above if you are blind.
- A black-feathered humanoid steps forth.
- "I am Malphas. You feed my flock. One way or the other."
- You successfully bound Malphas to yourself. The first line is omitted if you are blind.
- A large black feather setles within the seal.
- "I am Malphas. With that instrument, you feed my flock."
- You successfully bound Malphas to the Pen of the Void. The first line is omitted if you are blind.
- But it does not make itself known to you.
- You failed to bind Malphas due to a lack of open slots for spirits of the Near Void.
- You smell fresh blood.
- You performed the binding ritual incorrectly.
Encyclopedia entry
The Thirty-ninth Spirit is Malphas. He appeareth at first like a Crow, but after he will put on Human Shape at the request of the Exorcist, and speak with a hoarse Voice. He is a Mighty President and Powerful. He can build Houses and High Towers, and can bring to thy Knowledge Enemies’ Desires and Thoughts, and that which they have done. He giveth Good Familiars. If thou makest a Sacrifice unto him he will receive it kindly and willingly, but he will deceive him- that doth it. He governeth 40 Legions of Spirits[...]
