Weird death -- Can someone explain this?

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

So I got to Minetown, and the watch captain was in the room with the
stairs. For some inexplicable reason, he was angry at me, and I did not
survive the encounter. I didn't do anything to anger him, is it
possible that somehow a bones file may have an effect on the
peacefulness of the guards?

This is particularly lame because Healing potions happened to be smoky,
and I got a wish on turn one. *sigh*

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

fishbowl@conservatory.com (james) writes:
> In article <1108497606.781979.19940@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
> Fleshpile <Fleshpile@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >So I got to Minetown, and the watch captain was in the room with the
> >stairs. For some inexplicable reason, he was angry at me, and I did not
> >survive the encounter. I didn't do anything to anger him, is it
> >possible that somehow a bones file may have an effect on the
> >peacefulness of the guards?
>
> Yes -- if your character has the same name as the ghost that upset the
> bonesy minetown, they will behave as if it is you. I consider this a
> bug.

Umm. Where do you get this idea? Only shopkeepers care at all about
the character's name. Watchmen and the watch captain will start
peaceful on a bones level, regardless of their attitude toward any
previous character; in the circumstances described, I'd be looking for
a source of conflict.

--
: Dylan O'Donnell http://www.spod-central.org/~psmith/ :
: >LOOK UP CURRY IN GUIDEBOOK :
: 'CURRY: to consume silently and with regret.' :
: -- Dan Schmidt, "For a Change" :