Elven Halls

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Whereas most elven folk would never move into a dark subterranean complex like this, the deep elves did. Their halls are filled with riches, but any passers-by should be aware of the legendary magical prowess of this species.

The Elven Halls are three levels deep.

A wide stair down to the murky depths of the halls of the deep elves, skilled warriors with blades and bows, and fearsome sorcerers and magicians.

The Elven Halls is a mid-to-late game branch located on the third or fourth floor of the Orcish Mines. They are home to the deep elves, a subterranean race that is frail but versed in all types of magic, and occasionally a few of the orcs from the mines above can be found there as well. Although it has no rune, the Halls are littered with decent elven bows, blades, bucklers, and armour, and the deepest floor contains well-stocked treasure vaults.

Layout

The Halls are one of the least variable branches, full of small rooms connected by narrow corridors, though wide open spaces may make up large portions of certain floors. The third and final floor is guaranteed to have a very well guarded treasure vault taking up a significant amount of the map.

Useful Info

Although the entrance is located in an early branch, it is not advisable to enter the Elven Halls right away. Characters below level 15 should probably stay away, although it is possible to explore the first few floors relatively safely if you bring the right preparations. The Halls are filled with packs of dangerous ranged casters and archers, so be sure to avoid getting surrounded in an open area. Instead, lure them into the long hallways to prevent most of them from getting a clear shot at you, and use Bolt or Cloud spells to eradicate long lines of them all at once. Also be prepared for summoned demons, smite-happy priests, and the possibility of being banished to the Abyss.

Elf: 3

The last floor of the Elven Halls is especially dangerous, but its treasure vaults make it worth looting. Most of the floor should be similar to the floors above it, but the treasure vault itself will be filled with many extremely dangerous advanced deep elves, capable of hitting you with Lehudib's Crystal Spear, Summon Greater Demon, and Hellfire. Always attempt to lure the enemies in the treasure vaults out one by one, and be ready to run (preferably while hasted) if too many elves notice you at once. Alistair's Intoxication with Clarity works very well for confusing large packs of visible elves, making it easy to pick off dangerous ones or escape without being pursued.

Controlled teleports are not possible on Elf:3, making it extremely difficult to reach the treasure without killing your way past the guards first. Be careful attempting to teleport here, or entering with teleportitis, as you risk getting stuck in the middle of a room full of brutal opponents.

Recommendations

The Elven Halls demand high magic resistance of anyone who enters; the risk of getting banished to the Abyss by common enemies here is not something to ignore. High level characters stand a much better chance of both resisting these attempts and surviving a trip to the Abyss, so if possible, leave even quick tours of the Elven Halls for later in the game. High fire and cold resistance are also strongly recommended, as most enemies are capable of elemental Conjurations, and negative energy resistance will help with Bolt of Draining (this is much more common on Elf:3 than the rest of the Halls; try to bring rN+++ there if possible). Conservation is almost necessary if you plan on carrying any scrolls or potions around. Although you can get by without it, bringing see invisible will help you spot the many casters that try to hide from you in the middle of battle. Enemy casters often know Sticky Flame, but since rSticky is extremely rare, it's best to just bring rF++ or better.

While heavily armoured melee fighters can usually chop their way through, casters should bring along appropriate defenses. Repel Missiles or Deflect Missiles will help reduce damage taken tremendously, and area of effect spells like Poisonous Cloud and Freezing Cloud make short work of the packs of fragile casters you'll encounter. While Storm spells certainly work as well, they are definitely overkill for most of what you find here. Preparations for summoned demons shouldn't be too demanding by this point; if you're ready for all the other elements thrown around in here, you should be ready for most common demons even without Abjuration (but be prepared to run if the summoned horde gets out of hand).