The Earth Temple is found on a level ranging from D: 42-46. The layout, on the right side of the level, is as follows:
######### ############# ##########################
#.......# #...........# ##....##............##....##
#....<..#############...........# ##.^..^.##..........##.^..^.##
#......./.........../...........# #........###......###........#
#####################...........# #........# ######## #........#
#......./.+...........# ##.^..^.#####....#####.^..^.##
######### #.......###...........# ###....##.##......##.##....###
#.......# #.......# #..........@# #.###1#####..._....#####1###.#
#.......# #.......# #######/##### #...#.^^^.1........1.^^^.#...#
#.......# #.......# #.# #.###1######......######1###.#
#.......#####.......# #.# ###....##..##....##..##....###
#.......+...+.......# #.# ##.^..^.##.########.##.^..^.##
#.......############# #######/# #........###......###........#
#.......# #.......# #........#..........#........#
#######+###############..>....# ##.^..^.##..........##.^..^.##
#.......................# ##....##............##....##
######################### ##########################
The left side of the level is random. Note that the temple itself is
disconnected. Entry must be made by digging. Teleportation is not
allowed on the level. Some of the walls in the Earth Temple are
undiggable, but there is a way into every room by digging - it may take
some experimentation to find it. Note the traps. The numeral 1 is
used to indicate secret doors. Note the underscore in the center of
the temple. This is the chaotic elemental altar where the orb guardian
is found (at least until it is disturbed and moves). The standard
warning about standing on altars applies - the stone grues (and
possibly other monsters) found on this level are capable of speech and
will sacrifice the PC. The elemental altars can only be converted by
champions of Balance or Order, which means PCs going for an ultra
ending cannot convert them early in the game, before retrieving the
Medal of Chaos. The monsters in the Earth Temple are arrayed as follows:
######### ############# ##########################
#.......# #...........# ##C..C##EEEEEEEEEEEE##C..C##
#....<..#############...........# ##.^..^.##..........##.^..^.##
#......./.........../...........# #...EE...###YYYYYY###...EE...#
#####################...........# #...EE...# ######## #...EE...#
#......./.+...........# ##.^..^x#####xxxx#####x^..^.##
######### #.......###...........# ###C..C##x##xEEEx.##x##C..C###
#.......# #.......# #..........@# #s###1#####.xEFEx..#####1###s#
#.......# #.......# #######/##### #ssC#Y^^^Y1xxEEEx.x1Y^^^Y#Css#
#.......# #.......# #.# #s###1######xxxxxx######1###s#
#.......#####.......# #.# ###C..C##xx##....##xx##C..C###
#.......+...+.......# #.# ##.^..^.##x########x##.^..^.##
#.......############# #######/# #...EE...###xYYYYx###...EE...#
#.......# #.......# #...EE...#Y........Y#...EE...#
#######+###############..>....# ##.^..^.##Y........Y##.^..^.##
#.......................# ##C..C##EEEEEEEEEEEE##C..C##
######################### ##########################
They are: s - stone snakes
x - stone grues
Y - stone golems
C - chaos servants
E - earth elementals
F - (in the center) the Ancient Stone Beast
To attack the temple, the PC must dig in then attack the monsters.
All of the monsters here with the exception of stone golems
and chaos servants are able to travel through stone, so in practice the
PC will probably be attacked before penetrating the walls of the temple.
Stone snakes are poisonous, stone grues have a corrupting melee attack
and earth elementals throw rocks, apparently using slings which are often
left behind when they are killed. Earth elementals have many hitpoints
and regenerate. Exact statistics for earth elementals and stone grues
are not available from a blessed stethoscope - the game responds that the
monster "rather seems to be a piece of furniture." The monster memory
states that earth elementals have about 210 hitpoints, stone grues about
240 hitpoints. They both have a PV of 40, so use a powerful melee
attack or they will take forever to kill. All of these monsters will
fall to brute force or magic.3.8.1 The Ancient Stone Beast
Attacking the Ancient Stone Beast may seem like attacking a wall of granite. It has over 1000 hitpoints:
You examine the Ancient Stone Beast. Diagnosis: Level: 1, DV: 10, PV: 60, Hits: 1091, Attacks: 1, Damage: 15-60. Speed: 91.
Not fast, not overwhelming PV, but it can take a formidable amount of bashing to bring down this creature. Not helping matters is the fact that it regenerates wounds and has a corrupting melee attack.
The Ancient Stone Beast holds the Chaos Orb of Elemental Earth, greater identified as follows:
----------------- uncursed Chaos Orb of Elemental Earth {To+10}----------------
It is an artifact.
When used in melee combat it grants a +3 bonus to hit and causes 3d9+3 points of damage. When used as a missile it grants a +3 bonus to hit and causes 1d10+3 points of damage.
It modifies your toughness attribute by +10.
(earthquake + corruption when 'U'sed)