An interesting
NetHack scroll with remarkable applications (although, as with all
magical items, you never have one when you need one). Reading a
blessed scroll of earth creates a
boulder on each open square around you. The
uncursed version creates a
boulder on each open square around you and drops one on top of you as well. The
cursed scroll creates a single
boulder a few feet above your
skull. Falling boulders deal 1d20 damage. If you are wearing a
helmet, you will only take 1 or 2 damage. Falling boulders do not affect creatures that are
amorphous (
slimes,
jellies,
molds) or
phasing (
wraiths,
vortices).
This scroll is more useful than one might think. It's a great way to cheat in Sokoban, and can hold monsters off temporarily (unless that monster is a petrivore). If you can cast the spell stone to flesh, a blessed scroll of earth will feed you many times over. Furthermore, falling boulders will cause some damage to other creatures around you.
This scroll does not function in the Rogue level or in the endgame levels other than the Plane of Earth.