Portal
This page is about the dungeon feature. For the card, see Portal card. For the (obsolete) spell, see Portal (spell).
A portal is a (generally) temporary gateway to a special level. Each such level has multiple possibilities for its exact layout and inhabitants. In the console version of Crawl, portals are represented by the ∩ glyph.
Portals can be silent or announced. Bazaars and Labyrinths always announce their presence when you first enter the level, and periodically so afterwards, giving you a hint as to their distance and how long they will remain open. Silent portals will not generate any messages when entering the level or exploring, but you can still get an idea of the remaining time once they are in sight by examining the entrance. Volcanoes, Ossuaries, Sewers, and Ice Caves are all silent unless in your direct line of sight, despite being timed.
When a portal times out somewhere out of sight, you may get a message such as: "The floor vibrates strangely!" Treasure Troves and Ziggurats won't ever time out; of course, after they are used once, they may not be entered again.
The following comprises all known portal levels, with their in-game description and a brief explanation:
- Bailey
- A flagged portal
- Ranged weapons and/or a slugfest.
- Bazaar
- A gateway to a bazaar
- Shopping trip!
- Ice Cave
- A frozen archway
- Assorted frigid monsters and ice statues are likely.
- Labyrinth
- A labyrinth entrance
- Find the exit, beat the minotaur guarding it. Bring extra food.
- Malign Gateway
- A portal to somewhere
- Not a true portal, but the short-lived result of a spell: eldritch tentacle imminent.
- Ossuary
- A sand-covered staircase
- Zombies and mummies and traps, oh my!
- The Sewers
- A glowing drain
- Wade through rat- and snake-infested waters. Mind the kobolds.
- Spider's Nest
- An entrance to the Spider's Nest
- Spiders of all sorts, plus ghost moths to make things really dangerous. Sole source of ambrosia.
- A portal to a secret trove of treasure
- A collection of treasure customized for your character... at a specific, peculiar price. (No portal timer.)
- Volcano
- A dark tunnel
- Not just the monsters, but the environment, will be trying to torch you!
- Wizard Laboratory
- A magic portal
- Where one finds any of several strange characters, living in his own world.
- A gateway to a ziggurat
- The ultimate challenge. (No portal timer.)
