Improved ADOM Guidebook


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Random dungeons

Random dungeons were introduced in ADOM R+. They can be found and entered via the wilderness map. Some aspects of these dungeons, such as their respective depths and DL ranges, are consistent between games, but their actual locations vary throughout different games. Some of the dungeons may be generated in the north-western part of the Drakalor Chain and thus may require a climbing set to reach.

Various dungeon features may be encountered in these dungeons. Thus, low-DL caves might be scouted for herbs early in the game and altars and forges to use later in the game. The Putrid Cave might be of high interest for players who place high value in early precrowning which may be trivial to do if an altar is generated on one of its levels.

6 random dungeons appear in every game. Their shorthand descriptions, depths, and DL ranges are fixed.

Random dungeons
Dungeon Abbr Depth DL Special features
Moldy Dungeon R1 5 Low 5th level can contain the Tome of Donors (or ruined libram), 4th level is always a shifting level.
Shadowy Dungeon R2 12 Low Higher chance for vaults and other dungeon features.
Sinister Dungeon R3 5 Medium 5th level has a portal that can only be opened by the Ancient Dwarven Key or the Silver Key. [1]
Antediluvian Dungeon R4 13 High Statues are more likely; contains a scroll shop selling an expensive Antediluvian Dwarven Map Fragment
Putrid Cave R5 3 Low At least one level is cavernous.
Crumbling Dungeon R6 7 Very high 

[1] This portal leads to the Antediluvian Dwarven Dungeon (abbr: ADD), a four-level dungeon with high DL which contains an Antediluvian Dwarven Map Fragment.

2.21.1 Tome of Donors "

tod It is generated on the fifth level of the Moldy Dungeon if all of the following conditions are met: the PC has gained less than 90,160 experience points, less than 90,160 turns have passed, and the PC is carrying less than 90,160 gold pieces. Otherwise, a useless ruined libram is generated in its place. It is guarded by a somewhat experienced stone golem along with a pile of 9016 gold pieces.

------------------------------ tome of donors ------------------------------

Weight: 500s

When used in melee combat it grants a -4 bonus to hit and causes 1d8 points of damage.
When used as a missile it grants a -4 bonus to hit and causes 1d8 points of damage.

The Tome of Donors is a guaranteed artifact book that may be read to gain a random beneficial effect. If the tome is cursed, or the PC is of chaotic alignment, reading it will not have any effect. Once read, it cannot be read again for a number of turns; this number increases the more times it is read, also depending on the effect the increase of turns can be small, medium, or high. Maximum cooldown is 10000 turns. In its unidentified form it is described as "lavish libram". Reading the tome for the first time produces the following description:

You seem to have discovered the legendary tome of donors. This tome is said to collect 
the legends of all Ancardian heroes that donated their blood, souls, and lives in order 
to ward off past incursions of Chaos. Some succeeded, some failed, but they have all 
become legends. You start paging through the tome and discover a story...

This text does not appear on any consecutive readings. If the tome is currently "locked", attempting to read it will produce the following message:
You fail to open the tome of donors. It seems to be locked by some unknown force!

Successful reading of the tome will provide a randomly generated message mentioning one of the many character names, supplied by the participants of the ADOM Resurrection campaign. The message has the following structure:

Story types (cursed): mournful memories, pitiful poem, sad song, shivering shanty, sober story, terrific tragedy, tragic tale.

Killed methods: blasted to oblivion, burnt at the stake, completely devastated, cursed with undeath, drowned, hung, put to death, quartered and drawn, rent apart, sent to the howling hells of Chaos, shredded, tortured to death, wasted.

Monsters: Aggravar, dark ghoul of the northern mountains, Fnuk Longtooth, orc chieftain of yore, Heshtabahr, the unnight hag, Medrivar, the soul reaper, Sharadrinaxiorathadas, vile worm of the south, Uu'urn, bloated goblin emperor of the dark labyrinths under the Drakalor Chain.

Story types (uncursed): adventurous yarn, epic poem, gallant tales, perilous tale, song, travels.

Stories: challenged the gods for supremacy, discovered a magic hoard in the ruined caverns of Ashyra, fought endless battles to protect the people of the land, fought so many beasts of Chaos that he was scarred with Chaos during those battles, fought the raiders of the dark forest, mapped the Drakalor Chain uncovering many hidden villages and a few forgotten cities, searched for the trident of the red rooster in all the known lands, travelled together with Khelavaster, the sage, searching for a cure for corruption, traversed the forest of living trees, uncovered a hidden lake full of danger, uncovered some dark mystery connected to a mad minstrel of yore, ventured into a burning tower in far away lands, ventured into the Realms of Chaos after recovering something just called the Trinity, was a mighty collector of numerous artifacts.

Defeat methods (blessed): defeated, drove away, dispersed, eradicated, hunted, killed, massacred, slaughtered, smashed, vanquished.

Monster descriptors: accursed, black, bloodless, corrupted, damned, dark, feared, hated, horrendous, merciless, soulless, undying.

Accomplishments: answered the riddles of a sphinx, closed a Chaos portal, discovered a magic hoard, found a hint about the Trident of the Red Rooster, found a precious artifact, found a great treasure, healed a lost hero, recovered lost villagers, smashed a shrine of Chaos, uncovered a forgotten tome of knowledge, uncovered a rune of valor, won the title of arena champion.

Location descriptors: barren, black, cursed, damned, endless, forgotten, lost, rotten, ruined.

Location types: abbey, canyon, castle, caverns, caves, cyst, dungeon, forest, rift, temple, tower.

Location names: Arvandor, Ashyra, Hallbadron, Moook, Nazuur, Oo'ooth, Thaggoth, Venissszar, Yith.

Successful readings of the Tome of Donors are followed by the description of the effect bestowed:

Tome of Donor effects
MessageEffectTurns increase
You suddenly feel well prepared for being eaten alive!-Acidmedium
You suddenly feel well prepared for not getting cold feet!-Coldmedium
You suddenly feel well prepared for hot fights!-Firemedium
You suddenly feel well prepared for chaotic fights!-Confmedium
You suddenly feel well prepared for particularly close encounters!-Dethmedium
You suddenly feel well prepared for remaining unphased!-Paramedium
You feel much sharper after reading this.+10 speedmedium
You feel greatly hardened by the forces of life!+max HPhigh
You feel infused with magical might!+max PPhigh
You feel blessed!temporary Blessed status, removes -Curs and -Doomsmall
You learn a lot!+xp, +2 Lehigh
You fell well-educated by this.skill trainingmedium
You feel well looked-upon by the gods!+pietysmall
You feel bolder!+1 St, +1 Wi, +1 Chhigh
You feel refreshed!cure sickness OR full HP and PP OR +1 To, +1 Wismall
Your muscles feel stronger.+1 Stmedium
You feel studious.+1 Lemedium
Your will seems inflexible.+1 Wimedium
Your movements are getting swifter.+1 Dxmedium
Your health increases.+1 Tomedium
You feel very self-confident.+1 Chmedium
Your looks improve.+1 Apmedium
You feel more in touch with the world.+1 Mamedium
Your senses sharpen.+1 Pemedium
Your muscles feel incredibly stronger!+2d2 Stmedium
You feel highly studious!+2d2 Lemedium
Your will seems incredibly inflexible!+2d2 Wimedium
Your movements are getting extremely swifter!+2d2 Dxmedium
Your health greatly increases!+2d2 Tomedium
You feel extremely self-confident!+2d2 Chmedium
Your looks improve greatly!+2d2 Apmedium
You feel a lot more in touch with the world!+2d2 Mamedium
Your senses sharpen greatly!+2d2 Pemedium

The tome needs to blessed to get the 2d2 increases.


Updated August 18th, 2019