Gnome quest
The Gnome quest saw you fighting Lareth for The Pick of Flandal Steelskin. For more information on the quest branch in general, see the quest article.
| Home level | The Golden Mines |
|---|---|
| Locate level | The Undermines |
| Goal level | The Lair of Lareth |
| Leader | Ruggo the Gnome King |
| Guardians | gnome warriors |
| Nemesis | Lareth |
| Quest Artifact | The Pick of Flandal Steelskin |
Levels
Random monsters on this Quest are generated with the following frequencies:
- 96/175 (55%) drow
- 24/175 (14%) random o
- 24/175 (14%) ogre
- 6/175 (3%) random O
- 1/7 (14%) normal random monster
The Golden Mines
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The two-way magic portal back to the Dungeons of Doom is at the marked point in the middle. Ruggo the Gnome King is on the throne, accompanied by six random G. There are also ten ogres and ten drow randomly placed throughout the level.
Upper filler level
This is a cavern level, with five drow, seven ogres, and a random O; seven random objects; and four random traps.
The Undermines
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The two side chambers to the left of the secret door each contain four drow and an ogre, and the side chamber in the middle top part of the level contains five drow and an ogre. The level also contains four drow, seven random O; fifteen random objects; and six random traps. The entire level has undiggable walls and floor; teleportation is permitted.
Lower filler level(s)
These are room and corridor levels, containing two drow, five random O, nine random objects, and four random traps.
The Lair of Lareth
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Lareth, with the Bell of Opening and the Pick of Flandal Steelskin, is on the marked unaligned altar; the altar room is considered a temple to Moloch. The level contains ten drow, seven ogres, fourteen random objects, and six random traps. The walls of the Lair are undiggable; teleportation is permitted.
Messages
Entry
First time:
You arrive back at the Golden Mines, but something seems wrong here. The happy songs of your gnome kin are absent, and you hear angry words in a strange, unknown language.
Next time:
Once again, you arrive back at the Golden Mines.
If already rejected twice due to bad alignment:
For some reason, you think that this may be the last time you will enter the Golden Mines.
Quest guardians
If #chatting before the quest is complete:
"We have not been able to get food since the cave-in!" "Since Lareth sent his minions, we have been constantly fighting." "I have heard your quest has been successful so far. Is this so?" "So, tell me, <playername>, how have you fared?" "Ruggo the Gnome King grows old. We know not who will guide us after he ascends."
Quest leader
When you first meet your quest leader:
"You have returned from your vision quest, <playername>. Thank Flandal Steelskin. "We are in dire need of your help, my <son|daughter>. "But first, I must see if you are yet capable of the quest I would ask you to undertake."
When you return, having been rejected due to lack of experience:
"Again, you return to us, <playername>. Let me see if you are ready now."
This message is not currently used:
"Ah, <playername>. Are you finally ready?"
When you are expelled from the quest for having failed the alignment test seven times:
"<playername>! You have sealed our fate. You seem unable to reform yourself, so I must select another to take your place. "Begone from the Golden Mines! You have betrayed us by choosing the path of the chaotic over the true path of the lawful. "You no longer live in our eyes."
When being rejected due to lack of experience:
"Alas, <playername>, you are as yet too inexperienced to embark upon such a difficult quest as that I propose to give you. "A <currentrank> could not possibly survive the rigors demanded to find the Undermines, never mind to confront Lareth himself. "Adventure some more, and you will learn the skills you will require. <deity> decrees it."
When being rejected due to having worse than pious alignment:
"<playername>! You have deviated from my teachings. You no longer follow the path of the neutral as you should. I banish you from these caves, to go forth and purify yourself. Then, you might be able to accomplish this quest."
When finally assigned the quest:
"You are indeed ready now, <playername>. I shall tell you a tale of great suffering among your people: "Shortly after you left on your quest, the caves were invaded by the creatures sent against us by Lareth. "He sits, haughty and arrogant, in the very bowels of the earth. He sends legions of orcs, ogres, and his dark elven kin against us. Many of us have died, and the minions of Lareth managed to steal the Pick of Flandal Steelskin. They took it to the Undermines and there, none of our gnome warriors have been able to go. "You must find the Undermines, and within it wrest the Pick of Flandal Steelskin from Lareth. He guards it jealously. But with it, we can make our caves safe once more. "Please, <playername>, recover the Pick of Flandal Steelskin for us, and return it here."
Encouragement
If you subsequently chat to your quest leader, you are encouraged:
"Lareth is a great and evil sorcerer." "When you encounter Lareth, call upon Flandal Steelskin for assistance." "There will be nowhere to hide inside Lareth's inner sanctum." "Your best chance with Lareth will be to keep moving." "Do not be distracted by the great treasures in Lareth's lair. Concentrate on the Pick of Flandal Steelskin." "The Pick of Flandal Steelskin is the only object that Lareth truly fears." "Lareth is fast, and uses sleeping poison on his blades!" "I would send a party of gnome warriors with you, but we will need all of our strength to defend ourselves." "Remember, be neutral at all times. This is your strength." "If only we had an amulet of reflection, this would not have happened."
Locate and goal levels
When first entering the locate level:
You <see|sense> the footprints of many ogres and orcs. The tunnels ahead of you are larger than most of those in any cave complex you have ever been in before. Your nose detects the smell of carrion from within, and bones litter the sides of the tunnels.
When returning:
Once again, you approach the Undermines.
When first entering the goal level:
You find yourself in a large cavern, with neatly polished walls. Bones litter the floor, and there are objects scattered everywhere. The air is close with the fumes of evil magic.
When returning:
Once again, you find yourself in the lair of Lareth.
Quest nemesis
When first encountering the quest nemesis:
"So, gnome, you seek to invade the lair of Lareth. Prepare to be flayed alive!"
Upon further meetings:
"So, again you face me, Gnome. Now I shall kill you."
And on the 4th and subsequent meetings:
"You are getting annoying, Gnome. Prepare to die."
When you have the Pick of Flandal Steelskin, but Lareth is still alive:
"I'll have the Pick of Flandal Steelskin from you, Gnome. You shall die."
Discouragement
Lareth will occasionally utter maledictions:
"You are weak, Gnome. No challenge for the Dark Hope!" "I grow hungry, <currentrank>. Shall I have gnome fingers for dinner?" "Die, Gnome!" "With the Pick of Flandal Steelskin, I am invincible! You cannot succeed." "Your mentor, Ruggo the Gnome King has failed. You are nothing to fear." "You shall die here, Gnome. A <currentrank> cannot hope to defeat me." "You, a mere <currentrank> challenge the might of Lareth? Hah!" "You cannot hope to defeat me." "I shall rip you to shreds with my bare teeth!" "Flandal Steelskin has deserted you, Gnome. This is my domain."
Victory
When picking up your quest artifact:
As you pick up the Pick of Flandal Steelskin it seems heavy at first, but as you hold it strength flows into your arms. You suddenly feel full of power, as if nothing could possibly stand in your path.
When killing the nemesis:
Lareth sinks to the ground, wordless at last. As he dies, a cloud of noxious fumes billows about him.
When returning to your quest leader:
Ruggo the Gnome King glimpses the Pick of Flandal Steelskin in your possession.
He smiles and says:
You have done it! We are saved. But I fear that the Pick of Flandal Steelskin
will always be a target for chaotic forces who will want it for their
own.
To prevent further trouble, I would like you, <playername>,
to take the Pick of Flandal Steelskin away with you. It will help you as you
quest for the Amulet of Yendor.
Post-quest
When talking to Ruggo the Gnome King after the quest:
"<playername>! Welcome back. How goes your quest to recover the Amulet for <deity>?"
When talking to Ruggo the Gnome King after getting the Amulet:
"You have been successful, I see, <playername>. "Now that the Amulet of Yendor is yours, here is what you must do: "Journey upwards to the open air. The Amulet you carry will then take you into the Astral Planes, where the Great Temple of Flandal Steelskin casts its influence throughout our world. "Sacrifice the Amulet on the altar. Thus shall Flandal Steelskin become supreme!"
The Pick of Flandal Steelskin
| ) Pick of Flandal Steelskin (No tile) | |
|---|---|
| Base item | pick-axe |
| Damage vs. small | 1d6 x2 |
| Damage vs. large | 1d3 x2 |
| To-hit bonus | +5 |
| Bonus versus | non-aligned monsters (not fire resistant) |
| Weapon skill | pick-axe |
| Size | one-handed |
| Affiliation | |
| When carried | |
| When wielded |
(none) |
| When invoked |
|
| Base price | zm |
| Weight | 100 |
| Material | iron |
The Pick of Flandal Steelskin is the Gnome quest artifact. Its base item is a pick-axe.
In combat, the Pick deals double damage to cross-aligned targets not resistant to fire ("The fiery pick burns <foo>!"), compensating somewhat for the weakness of its base item. Compare Fire Brand, a stronger base item with the same bonus and no alignment restrictions.
When carried, the Pick grants fire resistance and warning. Invoking the Pick toggles conflict, as with the Sceptre of Might.
References
- SLASH 6 include/artilist.h#line 292
- SLASH 6 src/artifact.c#line 627
