User:Vinyl

Hi, I'm Vinyl. I started playing NetHack in the summer of 2024 and moved almost exclusively to DNetHack in February 2025. So far, I’ve reached the Astral Plane just once — on an Anachrononaut run, completing the mission — but haven’t ascended yet. Still, I don’t see myself getting bored of NetHack anytime soon.

This page is where I drop my ideas for expanding dNetHack’s mechanics and bestiary, especially with inspirations drawn from Slavic mythology (and yes, sometimes from Sapkowski’s world too). I’m particularly interested in weaving those darker, old-world folklore vibes into the game—creatures from deep forests and forgotten marshes, and the eerie myths that surround them.

For me what I describe below is also an excercise to learn to think about what is useful and what not and how to tailor idea to game's reality.

1. NEW ROLE CONCEPT My concept for a new role was born from the desire to enrich the fantasy world of dNetHack with creatures drawn from Slavic myths and pre-medieval folk tales. In those ancient times, vast stretches of land were covered by impenetrable forests and swamps. From wooden poles and sacred totems, the carved faces of deities like Svarog, Svetovid, Perun, and Dazhbog would watch over the land.

The core of this concept is inspired by the figure of MAMUNA — a fearsome creature from Slavic folklore, known for stealing what was dearest to people: their children.

Much has been said and passed down by word of mouth about the twisted beings Mamunas would leave in place of the human children they stole. These stories were often used to explain birth defects, tragic accidents, or even crimes committed against children. Changelings were what people believed Mamuna left behind in exchange for their child. On the other hand, little is known about what happened to the children taken by Mamunas, but that very mystery leaves plenty of room for imagination about how the fate of a kidnapped human infant might unfold. In this role’s storyline, Mamuna would serve as the Quest Nemesis, while the player character — someone seeking to confront her and reclaim their stolen past — could be called the Wyrdspawn.

2. ROLE & ITS DESCRIPTION

Role: THE STOLEN ONE “You were not born strange — you were made strange. Taken from your cradle by Mamuna, traded for a sickly changeling, you grew up among ancient reeds, cursed ponds, and spirits that spoke without tongues. You don’t remember your true name, only the lullabies sung by something not quite human. Now you're older — half-wild, marked by Her power — but with a burning will: to break the bond, slay the monster that raised you, and reclaim your stolen fate.”

Race: human

Deity: Possibly a pagan Slavic forest/marsh spirit or an ambiguous entity like Czarnobog, Veles, Likho —something ancient, primal, neither cruel nor kind, just older than morality itself, watching from the mist-drenched trees with eyes that remember the world before names.

Stolen's Skills

Weapon Skills - Dagger (also QA's type), Whip, Club up to Expert

               Bare-handed Combat, Farm Implements         up to Skilled

Stolen's Traits:

   • Wordless: You cannot speak (use #chat) until the role quest is complete — your voice belongs to Mamuna.
   • Witch's Instinct (optionally w/ Grounded): Spell failure is reduced when barefoot or wielding unenchanted items, 
   • Grounded (optionally w/ Witch’s Instinct) – you don’t wear shoes (unless ready to accept large Dx/speed penalty?),
   • Hightened Senses = Intrinsic Warning,
   • Recognized: Swamp-dwelling creatures (plants, spores, snakes, insects, nymphs etc.) treat you as neutral or friendly,
   • Unstable Identity: Monsters may treat you as something “other.” Allies are harder to tame. Some humanoids are disturbed by you,
   • Cannot drown — you were raised beneath the surface, cradled in muck and roots. You can breathe underwater or in bogs.

Starting items:

   • Mamuna’s lullaby in your inventory — a magic music instrument playing song that repels certain spirits but harms your sanity if overused.
   • Old Shawl: a mud-stained cloak giving poison resistance.

3. NEMESIS Quest Nemesis: Mamuna A wild, parasitic creature that swaps human babies with changelings. Haunts wetlands and forests. Chaotic Fey/Demoness Hybrid

Mamuna's skills: 1. "Parasitic" with its operationalization: (ver. 1). Swampbound Puppeteer Mechanic: When her HP drops below 50%, Mamuna doesn't just flee — she possesses a nearby swamp creature (plants, oozes, nymphs, foglets (not existing in dnh rn, I know) and continues the fight from within the former servant's shell. The original Mamuna body collapses into a pile of rags and swamp water. She can do this multiple times, but each new host has diminishing returns (less HP, resistances, etc., but also has some bearer's original traits: slime, steal, etc.). PC cannot say easily which one Mamuna is before 2-4 passing turns since bodies switched. (ver. 2) Skill Thief - She taught you all you know, thus she can easily lower your highest weapon skill for as long as the QA is in her posession.

2. As long as Mamuna has QA she can cast curses-spells - bound with Mother's Scissors (see below).

4. QUEST ARTIFACT

Mother’s Scissors (Parents of newborns used to tie red ribbons around them as a form of protection against Mamuna and other sources of curses. We can assume our character’s ribbon was cut/removed moments before kidnapping).

   • A rusted, iron-forged pair of ceremonial scissors used to “cut” fate.
   • Gives back voice to those who get it.
   • Gives: ability of only casting {list of} curses. 
   • Passive effect: magic resistance, resistances/bonuses vs. spellcasters and undeads.
   • Invoked works like a blessed scroll of taming.

I am not experienced enough to suggest anything close to the optimal balance, but lore-wise this child shouldn’t ever had chance to learn reading. But, on the other hand, barbarians, cavepeople also shouldn’t, still they can read :)