Great Crawl Mysteries


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Barkeep

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 22:38

Great Crawl Mysteries

There are a few things in Crawl that get me wondering, sometimes. For example:

What do all the monsters eat?

Why do Mennas and Boris get along so well?

When you distill corpses, where do you get bottles for your potions?

In the spriggan forest, 20+ levels below the top of the dungeon... where does the sunlight come from?

Do the vault guards just hang out endlessly by the V:8 stairs? And the elves in their Elf:5 vault?

...any others?
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Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 22:45

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

In the spriggan forest, 20+ levels below the top of the dungeon... where does the sunlight come from?


  Code:
While the dungeon is filled with dim magic light, in most places it is not     
bright enough to sustain any larger plants. It is uneven, though, and there are
spots where, with the grace of Fedhas, trees as big as those on the surface can
grow underground.


Next mystery: does this dude have nothing better to do all day than shining a torch at underground forests!?

AtT

Blades Runner

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 22:45

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Where does any light come from, down there?

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 22:46

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

  Code:
While the dungeon is filled with dim magic light


It's MAGIC.
Last edited by cerebovssquire on Friday, 11th November 2011, 22:47, edited 2 times in total.
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Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 22:46

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

njvack wrote:When you distill corpses, where do you get bottles for your potions?


Bones become containers.
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Barkeep

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 23:08

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Well shucks, you're answering my mysteries! They were MYSTERIES! :?

And of course Fedhas can shine his magic torch all day long. He's got tons of piety built up.
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Spider Stomper

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 23:09

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

The monsters eat other monsters when they have to though I suspect they get enough adventurers to feast on to fill their bellies most days.

Mennas and Boris get along so well because they have a rivalry going, they want to see who can kill more hapless adventurers.

As for the vault guards and elves: The guards sometimes play dice and card games(mundane ones) and the Elves like to dance.

Side note: I needs to get me some Bone Glass.

Dungeon Master

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 23:11

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Completely off-topic but who cares in here. The last comment reminds me of a very old idea of mine... Dancing weapons should dance when alone. I'd even provide some patterns. They could dance alone, in twos and so on. Of course, only the most stealthy characters would even have a chance to witness the dance.

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Spider Stomper

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 23:16

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

I would totally laugh if I went into the Hall of Blades and saw a bunch of weapons Line Dancing.

Tartarus Sorceror

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Post Friday, 11th November 2011, 23:50

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

dpeg wrote:Completely off-topic but who cares in here. The last comment reminds me of a very old idea of mine... Dancing weapons should dance when alone. I'd even provide some patterns. They could dance alone, in twos and so on. Of course, only the most stealthy characters would even have a chance to witness the dance.


That would be great. It'd be pretty great to see that concept expanded, orc parks talking to each other when they're alone, kobolds rolling dice or whatever...

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AtT, spurious
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Barkeep

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Post Saturday, 12th November 2011, 01:16

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

dpeg wrote:Dancing weapons should dance when alone. I'd even provide some patterns. They could dance alone, in twos and so on. Of course, only the most stealthy characters would even have a chance to witness the dance.


SUPER AWESOME.

Relatedly, whatever happened to Terpsichore? Ran into her a couple times in trunk yonks ago, and thought she was fun...
I am not a very good player. My mouth is a foul pit of LIES. KNOW THIS.

Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Saturday, 12th November 2011, 01:18

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Dungeon Crawl: Ultima

Snake Sneak

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Post Saturday, 12th November 2011, 18:54

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

I doubt most monsters need to eat during their short life between spawning and becoming exp.

Mennas and Boris are probably afraid being destroyed by the other one - easier to just frag some noob player...

You keep all your used potion bottles for refund.

Spriggans do know the sunlight spell...

Maybe vault guards and elves are playing crawl on their laptops all the time - that's why they would get angry when interrupted...

Other:
How do shopkeepers get enough customers on the deeper dungeon levels?
How does the open sea prevent players from escaping?
Why does everybody just attack on sight? Can't everybody just get along peacefully?
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Eringya's Employee

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Post Saturday, 12th November 2011, 18:58

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

dpeg wrote:Completely off-topic but who cares in here. The last comment reminds me of a very old idea of mine... Dancing weapons should dance when alone. I'd even provide some patterns. They could dance alone, in twos and so on. Of course, only the most stealthy characters would even have a chance to witness the dance.


Much like witnessing the mating ritual of two snakes. :lol:

In other, more relevant news:

Did the blacksmith that crafted the plutonium sword die of leukaemia?
Last edited by TehDruid on Saturday, 12th November 2011, 19:16, edited 1 time in total.
MuCK;
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612 | D:1      | Xom revived you
614 | D:1      | Xom revived you
614 | D:1      | Slain by a gnoll

Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Saturday, 12th November 2011, 19:01

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

  Code:
.....)).......
..)...........
......}.......
...)..........
....).......@.


  Code:
_a runed great mace (tango)
_a dire flail (tango)
_a glowing lajatang (breakdance)
_a runed dagger (waltz)
_a triple sword (waltz)

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Eringya's Employee

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Post Saturday, 12th November 2011, 19:18

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

cerebovssquire wrote:
  Code:
.....)).......
..)...........
......}.......
...)..........
....).......@.


  Code:
_a runed great mace (tango)
_a dire flail (tango)
_a glowing lajatang (breakdance)
_a runed dagger (waltz)
_a triple sword (waltz)


You put the m&f in a pair and sbl & lbl in another, how racist! :P
You should mix slashing/crushing weapons. :lol:
MuCK;
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614 | D:1      | Xom revived you
614 | D:1      | Slain by a gnoll

Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Saturday, 12th November 2011, 19:32

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Every crawler's nightmare:

vault_cerebovssquire_strasbourg

  Code:
#..)))))))))))))))))))))))..#
#..)))))))))))))))))))))))..#
#..)))))))))))))))))))))))..#


  Code:
)))))) _69 dancing weapons (MPI)


You put the m&f in a pair and sbl & lbl in another, how racist! :P


Eww, we blades don't mix with these dirty proletarian dancers! ;)

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Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Saturday, 12th November 2011, 22:44

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

I'd pay good money to see a broad axe do the cabbage patch.

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 01:44

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Elyvilon appreciates killing a kobold and saccing their runed darts more than pacifying said kobold. Does she believe the ends justifies the means?

Halls Hopper

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 03:19

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Why do all the critters of the dungeon go against the laws of nature and are intent on getting a piece of your backside?

Snakes would ignore rats and attack you instead

Giant frogs will ignore insects and go after you instead

Bears ignore fish and honey, bees don't attack bears

Even plants like Oklobs and spores are murderous and will attack you and only you

Creatures of the same species as you will single you out and attack you; as a Deep Elf you are not welcome in the Elven Halls, a fellow Troll will ignore a yummy human next to it and go after you, Draconians won't let you join their packs

Orcs would work with Elves, Angels would cooperate with demons and undead to take you down

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Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 03:24

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Maybe it's something political.
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Spider Stomper

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 03:33

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

It's because you have the potential to be the absolute top predator and they want to kill you preemptively to keep the natural order.
You see here a dire elephant corpse.
You start butchering the dire elephant corpse with your claws.
You continue butchering the corpse.
You are engulfed in roaring flames. You stop butchering the corpse.
You die...
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Tartarus Sorceror

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 03:41

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Eaki Godsbane wrote:Giant frogs will ignore insects and go after you instead

All the insects are vampiric and undead, that's why the frogs go after you instead.
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Vestibule Violator

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 06:07

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Eaki Godsbane wrote:Why do all the critters of the dungeon go against the laws of nature and are intent on getting a piece of your backside?

Are you sure it is them who want to kill you by all means?
If you find any mistakes or typos in my post, feel free to PM me about it. Thanks in advance!

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Blades Runner

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 15:47

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Why are all these creatures trapped in two dimensions?

Crypt Cleanser

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 17:44

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

I think Mennas and Boris get along because Mennas got tired of killing Boris and having him come back, and Boris got tired of having his ass get kicked by Mennas, so they called a truce.

My question: how do the monsters all know you're an enemy? Why can't my draconian just enter Zot and disguise himself as a guard?

Shoals Surfer

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 18:38

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Who takes care of baby draconians if parentage is indeterminate till adulthood? For that matter, who sits on the eggs?

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Snake Sneak

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 21:44

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

A monster will chase you all over a map, but not up or down stairs unless it's right next to you
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Abyss Ambulator

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 21:50

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Regnix wrote:A monster will chase you all over a map, but not up or down stairs unless it's right next to you

Which is not to say they can't spawn that way. I have an...interesting...memory of resting up on Vault:7 and suddenly seeing the message, "A lich comes up the stairs."

Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Sunday, 13th November 2011, 23:26

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

defen wrote:Who takes care of baby draconians if parentage is indeterminate till adulthood? For that matter, who sits on the eggs?

It takes a village. Or fortress rather.

Tartarus Sorceror

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Post Monday, 14th November 2011, 00:15

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

defen wrote:Who takes care of baby draconians if parentage is indeterminate till adulthood? For that matter, who sits on the eggs?


Perhaps draconian color is not a classically-Mendelian trait. It's entirely possible that draconian genetics work in such a way that a White and a Red draconian could mate and have a Yellow Draconian, in which case color would be a completely distinct trait from geneology. I'm thinking multiple gene loci with multiple alleles, interacting in epistatic ways, perhaps epigenetic effects. Some complicated stuff going on in those dracogenes.

Blades Runner

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Post Monday, 14th November 2011, 03:34

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

nicolae wrote:
defen wrote:Who takes care of baby draconians if parentage is indeterminate till adulthood? For that matter, who sits on the eggs?


Perhaps draconian color is not a classically-Mendelian trait. It's entirely possible that draconian genetics work in such a way that a White and a Red draconian could mate and have a Yellow Draconian, in which case color would be a completely distinct trait from geneology. I'm thinking multiple gene loci with multiple alleles, interacting in epistatic ways, perhaps epigenetic effects. Some complicated stuff going on in those dracogenes.


Or it's like gender assignment for many reptilians (determined by conditions during incubation, in this case temperature.) Red dracs could have been on the warmer side of the nest, yellow ones near some decomposing leaves, etc.

Or...you know...it's magic.

Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Monday, 14th November 2011, 06:59

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

RANDART.....EPIGENETICS
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Post Monday, 14th November 2011, 13:16

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Grimm wrote:RANDART.....EPIGENETICS

Or, what determines the determinants?

Crawl is like life: a hidden RNG is involved in all outcomes.

Abyss Ambulator

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Post Monday, 14th November 2011, 14:07

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

The MST3K mantra definitely comes into play here.

Except, of course, for the fact that once you just relax and enjoy the experience for what it is, you get your ass kicked for inattention.
You fall off the wall. You have a feeling of ineptitude.

Halls Hopper

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Post Monday, 14th November 2011, 14:52

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Eaki Godsbane wrote:Why do all the critters of the dungeon go against the laws of nature and are intent on getting a piece of your backside?

I detect a subtext.
You're not prejudiced... Are you?

Vaults Vanquisher

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Post Sunday, 20th November 2011, 14:41

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

So I've been thinking, why is crawl designed such that you worship a good god only so you can go to hell? XD

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Snake Sneak

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Post Monday, 21st November 2011, 12:58

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

AtT wrote:Why are all these creatures trapped in two dimensions?

They aren't, they can move up and downstairs!

Vaults Vanquisher

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Post Monday, 21st November 2011, 13:01

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Not undead :O

Spider Stomper

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Post Monday, 21st November 2011, 14:48

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Zombies & Skellies can't use stairs because they are either 1: too stupid to understand the concept. or 2: Somehow so uncoordinated that they can managed to step on the first step and fall sideways off the staircase to remain on the level and then (because of the stupid)forget what they were doing and wander away.

Vestibule Violator

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Post Monday, 21st November 2011, 16:59

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

ilpalazzo wrote:How does the open sea prevent players from escaping?

More importantly, how is there open sea underground?
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Vestibule Violator

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Post Monday, 21st November 2011, 17:29

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Is it under the ground, by the way?
If you find any mistakes or typos in my post, feel free to PM me about it. Thanks in advance!

The Verse flows throughout Aquaria...
Through each ripple and wave...
Through every living being...
The Verse binds us all as one.

Tartarus Sorceror

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Post Monday, 21st November 2011, 18:12

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Galefury wrote:
ilpalazzo wrote:How does the open sea prevent players from escaping?

More importantly, how is there open sea underground?


Magic.
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Tartarus Sorceror

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Post Tuesday, 22nd November 2011, 02:42

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

You see a beach in front of you.
You go downstairs.
You see another beach in front of you.
You obviously wonder what the ceiling in this place looks like....

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Ziggurat Zagger

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Post Tuesday, 22nd November 2011, 03:16

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

They got a top tiling company to put the oceans in. Those floors ain't leaking a drop.

Vaults Vanquisher

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Post Tuesday, 22nd November 2011, 06:51

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

pratamawirya wrote:You see a beach in front of you.
You go downstairs.
You see another beach in front of you.
You obviously wonder what the ceiling in this place looks like....


Sounds like somehting out of dwarf fortress. OH NO YOU HIT AN AQUIFER! Quick, keep turning the water into Water Elementals at a rate equal to or greater than the gushing!

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Post Tuesday, 22nd November 2011, 14:05

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Grimm wrote:They got a top tiling company to put the oceans in. Those floors ain't leaking a drop.

As was pointed out to me in another thread, those floors are good enough to keep acid blobs and other corrosive monsters from eating their way through indefinitely. Mere ocean water doesn't stand a chance.

...but what happens when a shaft trap generates on a water level? (Can they?)
You fall off the wall. You have a feeling of ineptitude.

Lair Larrikin

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Post Tuesday, 22nd November 2011, 16:02

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

I've certainly seen a shaft trap in the Shoals. It didn't really register to me how silly it was though or I would've waited around to see what happened when some water got near it. Oh well...

Snake Sneak

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Post Tuesday, 22nd November 2011, 17:22

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

Maybe the whole dungeon is just one of Maras misleading illusions...

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Post Tuesday, 22nd November 2011, 23:31

Re: Great Crawl Mysteries

ilpalazzo wrote:Maybe the whole dungeon is just one of Maras misleading illusions...


You're assuming Mara isn't an illusion :P commence the existentalist spiral of doom!
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