Minetown

Minetown is one of seven different maps, located on the 3rd or 4th level of the Gnomish Mines. Monster creation on this level is biased towards lawful monsters.

In most games, Minetown is also the largest collection of shops; some players call it the "toll plaza" (the RNG might be cruel enough to give you only Izchak's shop). There is a division between retail and security; shopkeepers do retail, while watchmen and their captains do security.

The Watchmen patrol randomly to protect the merchandise and features of Minetown. A player cannot, while in sight of a Watchman:

• Apply a lock pick, credit card or skeleton key on a locked door
• Kick down or use a pick axe or mattock on a door
• Use a spell of force bolt on a door
• Dig in to walls
• Kick or cut down a tree
• Dig down on a fountain
• Attack peaceful shopkeepers, priests, or watchmen (note, however, that a watchman drowning due to an overflowing fountain is perfectly acceptable)
• Steal from a shop (even accidentally, e.g. unexpected teleportation)

For all except the last two cases you get a single warning to stop. However, as digging with a wand or spell cannot be interrupted, these vandalisms receive no warning.

Should you continue after the warning or commit a crime without a warning, the Watchmen will attempt to place you under arrest (i.e. try to kill you), shouting "Halt! You are under arrest!" and alerting other guards by blowing their tin whistles. They will then be made hostile and attempt to attack you.

In addition, causing a fountain to dry up through overuse will anger the watch regardless of whether they are within sight. In most cases, you will receive a warning before the fountain dries up, either "The flow reduces to a trickle" or a watchman yelling "Hey, stop using that fountain!", but a player successfully dipping for Excalibur will receive no warning. Receiving Excalibur will dry up the fountain and anger the watch, so dipping for Excalibur in Minetown is generally a Bad Idea.

If being attacked as part of being under arrest, only the crime of stealing can be reversed, by paying ALL debt to the shopkeeper. Note that the shopkeeper, like all others within the dungeons, will still be angry at you, zapping you with wands and attacking you; however, payment can be made from afar. The Watchmen and shopkeeper will revert to peaceful, although you will be placed under arrest for any further breaking of the law. This can be used to pacify the watch if they are angry for something else. Killing a hostile watchman is still considered murder.

Maps

There are seven different minetowns, each with their own maps and guaranteed monsters. Note that Minetown is eligible to leave bones, so the monsters (and the map) may be in a different state than is shown below.

Also bear in mind that, as elsewhere in the Gnomish Mines, if you are playing a dwarf or gnome, two-thirds of the dwarves or gnomes respectively that are listed in these descriptions will be made random monsters instead.

Frontier Town

---------------------------------
|...............................|
|.------------.....------------.|
|.|...|...|..|.....+..|...|...|.|
|.|...|...|fd|.....|G.|lgt|...|.|
|.|gen|...|..|.....|..|...|...|.|
|.|...|...|+--.....----+---+---.|
|.--+--+---.....................|
|.............{......{..........|
|.-+---+---....-+----...........|
|.|...|...|---.|....|.-----+---.|
|.|...|...|..+.|....|.|..|....|.|
|.|too|...|.G|.|.._.|.+..|....|.|
|.|...|...|..|.|....|.|..|....|.|
|.------------.------.---------.|
|...............................|
---------------------------------

Izchak's light shop (marked "lgt") is guaranteed, but the general store ("gen"), food shop ("fd") and tool shop ("too") have only a 90% chance of existing.

This level contains two random traps.

Monster	Symbol	Location
The Watch	@@@@@	Patrolling randomly
Priest	@	In temple
Gnomish Wizards	GG	In temple
Gnomes	GG	In rooms marked with G
Gnomes	GGG	Outside mapped area
Dwarf	h	Outside mapped area

Town Square

---------------------------------
|.+..|..|..+....+..|..|..|G.+...|
|.|..|..|..|....|..|..|..|..|...|
|.----+-----....----+--+-----...|
|...............................|
|.-+-----+--.......--+---+---...|
|.|..|..|..|......{|....|...|...|
|.|..|..|.G|.......|....|...|...|
|.----+-----.......|.._.|foo|...|
|.............{....|....|...|...|
|.-------+-------.----------|...|
|.|....|...|....|.|....|....+...|
|.+.gen|.G.|lght+.+....|tool|...|
|.|....|...|....|.|....|....|...|
|.---------------.-----------...|
|...............................|
---------------------------------

Izchak's light shop (marked "lght") is guaranteed, but the general store ("gen"), food shop ("foo") and tool shop ("tool") have only a 90% chance of existing.

This level contains two random traps.

Monster	Symbol	Location
The Watch	@@@@@	Patrolling randomly
Priest	@	In temple
Gnomish Wizards	GG	In temple
Gnomes	GGG	In rooms marked with G
Gnome lord	G	In room opposite light shop
Gnomes	GGG	Outside mapped area
Dwarf	h	Outside mapped area

Alley Town

---------------------------------
|...............................|
|.----....-----.----+--..-----..|
|.|..|---.|...+.+..|..|..|...|..|
|.|..|..|.|._.|.|..|..|..|lgt|..|
|.-+-|tl|.|...|.--------.|...|..|
|....|..|.|...|....+...|.--+--..|
|.{..-+--.----|....|wan|........|
|..........+..|+--.-----..-----.|
|....-+--..|..|..|........+...|.|
|.-+-|..|.----|G.|+---....|foo|.|
|.|..|..|.+...|--|...|---.-----.|
|.|..|---.|gen|..|too|..+.......|
|.|.G|....|...|..|...|G.|.......|
|.----....-----+---------.....{.|
|...............................|
---------------------------------

Izchak's light shop (marked "lgt") and the general store ("gen") are guaranteed, but the tool shops ("tl" and "too") have only a 30% and 40% chance of existing, respectively. The food shop ("foo") and wand shop ("wan") have a 90% and 30% chance, respectively.

This level contains two random traps.

Monster	Symbol	Location
The Watch	@@@@@	Patrolling randomly
Priest	@	In temple
Gnomish Wizards	GG	In temple
Gnomes	3 random G	In rooms marked with G
Gnomes	GGG	Outside mapped area
Dwarf	h	Outside mapped area

College Town

--------------------------------
|..............................|
|...--------.......-----------.|
|...|...|..|------.|.G|...|G.+.|
|...|boo|..|.....|.|..|lgt|..|.|
|...|...|+-|.._..|.-+-|...|---.|
|...--+--..|.....|....--+--....|
|..........|.....|.............|
|........{.---+---.{...........|
|..............................|
|...-+---...........-+---+--...|
|...|...|-------.---|..|...|...|
|...|too|kk|foo+.+..|.G|gen|...|
|...|...|ff|...|.|..|--|...|...|
|...-----+------.----..-----...|
|..............................|
--------------------------------

Izchak's light shop (marked "lgt") and the book shop ("boo") are guaranteed, but the general store ("gen"), food shop ("foo") and tool shop ("tool") have only a 90% chance of existing.

This level contains two random traps.

Monster	Symbol	Location
The Watch	@@@@@	Patrolling randomly
Priest	@	In temple
Gnomish wizards	GG	In temple
Gnomes	3 random G	In rooms marked with G
Kobold shamans	kk	In southwest room
Kitten	f	In southwest room
Feline	A random f	In southwest room
Gnomes	GGG	Outside mapped area
Dwarf	h	Outside mapped area

Grotto Town

-----         ---------
|<..---  ------.......--    -------                       ---------------
|.....---|.........--..|    |.....|          -------      |.............|
--..|....|.---------|..|    |.._..|          |>....|     --+---+--.----+|
 --.|-.....----     ----    |.....|  ------  --....----  |..|...|-.|.+..|
  --|.........|---  -----   ---+---  |..+.|   ---..-..---|..|--+-..--|..|
    ----.|....|..----...--    |.|    |..|.|    ---+-.....-+--........--+|
       -----..|....|.....---- |.|    |..|.------......--................|
    ------ |..|.............---.--   ---|.+..||.......-|..--------+--..--
    |food| --......---...........-----  |.|..||...{....|--|.........|..--
    |....|  |........|...|...........---|.|..|--.......|  |.general.|...|
    ---+--------....-------...---......-|.|------....--|  -----------...|
 ------.---...-|...-|..|..|-...|..---...|.--..|...|....------- |.......--
 |..|-.........|..--|..|..|--.....|-....|........---...-|....| |.-------
 |..+...............-+---+-----..-|..........--....|-...+tool| |.|...S.
-----.....{....----...............|...........|-...|...-|....| |.|...|
|..............-- |-+--.---------.........--..|........|------ |.--+-------
|+-----.........| |...|.|....|  --.......-----|...|....|--------.....|....|
|...| --..------- |...|.+lght|   ---...---    --..|...--......|...{..+..-+|
|...|  ----       ------|....|     -----       -----.....----........|..|.|
-----                   ------                     -------  ---------------

The map is mostly dark.

Izchak's light shop (marked "lght"), the general store ("general"), the food shop ("food") and the tool shop ("tool") are all guaranteed.

Monster	Symbol	Location
The Watch	@@@@@	Patrolling randomly
Priest	@	In temple
Gnomes	GGGGGG	Random
Gnome lords	GG	Random
Dwarves	hhh	Random
Gnomish Wizards	GG	In far southwest room, in front of secret door
Gnome lord	G	Larger southeast room
Gnomes	2 random G	Opposite light shop, in room at top of central corridor

The room with the down stair contains a random tool, the secret door hides a random ring, the far southeast closet contains a chest, and there is a (historic) statue of a gnome king in the wide open lit space in the south.

Bustling Town

-----................----------------.-
|...|................|...|..|...|...|..
|...+..--+--.........|gen|..|...|...|..
|...|..|...|..-----..|...|..|-+---+--..
-----..|...|--|...|..--+---+-.........-
.......|...|..|too+.............-----..
.......|---|..|...|......--+-...|...|..
----...|...|+------..{...|..|...+...|..
|..+...|lgt|.............|..|...|...|..
|..|...|...|-+-.....---+-------------.-
----...--+-|..|..-+-|..................
..|........|..|..|..|----....---------.
..|..T.....----..|..|...+....|......||.
..|-....{........|..|foo|....+...._.||.
..--..|....T.....--------....|......||.
......|-.....................----------

The mapped town area is surrounded by empty cavern level, which is lit and contains the upstair (to the left of the town) and the downstair (to the right).

Two trees are marked ("T").

Izchak's light shop (marked "lgt"), the general store ("gen"), the food shop ("foo") and the tool shop ("too") are all guaranteed.

Monster	Symbol	Location
The Watch	@@@@@	Patrolling randomly
Priest	@	In temple
Gnomes	GGG	Random
Gnome lords	GG	Random
Dwarf	hhh	Random
Gnomes	GG	In room between light and tool shops, in room east of fountain
Gnome lords	G	In room between light and tool shops

Bazaar Town

--------------------------------
|..............................|
|.------+--------------..-----.|
|.|....|..|...|....|..+..|...|.|
|.|....|..|...|.n..|..|..+too|.|
|.--+-----|...|+------|..|...|.|
|......|..|...|.|.G|..|.-----|.|
|.----.|..|-+--.|..|fd|.|....|.|
|.|..+.-+--..{..-+-|..|.+.._.|.|
|.|..|.............-+--.|....|.|
|.|----+--.----+--......|....|.|
|.|..|...|.+..|..|-+---------|.|
|.|tl|lgt|.|..|gn|....|K.|fd.+.|
|.|..|...|.---|..|....|..|...|.|
|.-+------..{.---------+------.|
|..............................|
--------------------------------

Izchak's light shop (marked "lgt") is guaranteed, while there is a 50% chance each of two food shops ('fd'), a 50% chance of one tool shop ('tl') and 30% chance of a second ('too'), and a 60% chance of a general store ('gn'). There is also a Sink ('K')

Outside the mapped area are two random traps.

Monster	Symbol	Location
The Watch	@@@@@	Patrolling randomly
Priest	@	In temple
Gnomish Wizards	GG	In temple
Gnomes	GGG	Random
Gnome lord	G	Random
Monkeys	YY	Random
Gnome	G	In room north of central fountain
Monkeys	YYY	In room north of central fountain
Nymph	Random n	In marked room
Gnome king	G	In marked room
Gnome	Random G	In room north of lower fountain
Gnomes	GGG	Outside mapped area
Dwarf	h	Outside mapped area

Strategy

Because Minetown always has an altar and shops, it is an excellent location for a first stash. The altar provides BUC identification while the shops provide price identification, especially if your Minetown has a general store. There is also a significant 1/3 chance that the temple is co-aligned, which makes it a sanctuary (and a useful altar). Many players unload some excess loot in the Minetown temple before going on to Mines' End, and then consolidate upon their return. The disadvantage is that you might not be putting your stash in a container.

Minetown often has a deli and a tool shop. (Remember not to let your pet eat all the tripe rations.) Minetown can be a good place to increase your food supply if you are low. Players who are missing a skeleton key or other cheap tool can buy one. Be aware, though, that the Gnomish Mines has several tools for free sitting on its other levels.

The popularity of Minetown means that players spend a long time there, and hence have a greater than average opportunity of dying there. Thus, Minetown is often a bones level.

Reaching the Minetown priest is the objective of the protection racket, perhaps also cloning credit in the stores.

Izchak's light shop has a 20.6% chance of being created with at least one magic lamp. In case there are no other shops and you want price identification: clone credit, throw items in, and buy them back to get a price quote.

As mentioned above, if you dry up one of the fountains by dipping, the Watchmen will become hostile, regardless of whether the Watchmen can see you.

If you let your pet kill them (and perhaps heal it up afterwards), the minetown guards will be a good source of studded leather armor and leather gloves for a spellcaster and help identify non-magical equipment. If you want to kill them yourself one by one, it is a good idea to lure them to a different level first. You will still be penalized for murder, but the other guards will not be angered with you.

A wizard should sacrifice for Magicbane as early as possible. If the minetown temple happens to be cross-aligned, the tending priest needs to be killed safely beforehand (and after buying protection). (Note a Helm of opposite alignment might allow you to sacrifice without killing the priest, but you will never get Magicbane this way.)

This page is based on a spoiler by Dylan O'Donnell. The original license is: Redistribution, copying, and editing of these spoilers, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met: The original contributors to any spoiler must continue to be credited. Any modifications to the spoiler must be acknowledged and credited.