The Rift is a dangerous location beyond the mountains in the northwestern region of the map. Players wishing to enter the Rift must meet a set of specific requirements: they must have a Climbing skill of 100, they must be at least experience level 18, and they must have either a Willpower of greater than 20 or a Perception of less than 6.
The main reason to enter the Rift is to access the Sinister Library that can be accessed from the 5th level. Contrary to popular belief, a climbing set is not needed to enter the Rift, but players wishing to access the Library will probably need one anyway. Because of the significant risk of inventory destruction while descending the Rift, and the danger of the monsters therein, many players avoid this area entirely.
Main Features
The most notable feature of the Rift is that entry requires the player to successfully climb in. If the player falls, they will suffer immense equipment damage, particularly to fragile items such as potions and scrolls. In addition, companions and other monsters following the PC will be killed by the fall. High luck, the Thin and nimble corruption, and the Very light corruption are supposed to make the descent easier; in practice, they may only help in reducing equipment damage. Due to a variable initialization error, in versions of ADOM prior to 1.2.0 the PC will always fall the first time they climb the Rift[1]. There are few practical reasons to ever return once the Library has been looted.
Players who fall down the Rift will land on level 3. If the player descends to level 1, they will find a non-hostile ratling dealer who will sell a climbing set for the exact amount of money the PC is carrying or 50000 gold, whichever is higher. Without a climbing set, however, the Library cannot be accessed, so if it is damaged during the fall, it must be replaced. Also on level 1 is a guaranteed source of water breathing which may be a helmet or an amulet, and is typically lying on the floor somewhere on the level. Level 5 features two up staircases, one leading to the Library, and the other continuing the ascent out of the Rift.
The levels on the Rift are all random, and feature many dangerous monsters comparable to the lower levels of the CoC.
Inhabitants
- Ratling Dealer on R:1
- Assorted monsters of appropriate danger level.
Quests
None.