Level 22: "This place looks uninteresting"
Not much excitement promised. She should head down, but first a diversion. She heads east for some troll-poking.

Black Pudding by David Goodis

Originally published December 1953 in Manhunt; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

MA15+

(V, S, D, L)

Strong violence {MA15+}

Sexual References {M - character discreetly describing sexual violence}

Drug References {MA15+ - opium and alcohol as coping mechanism; tobacco socially}

Minor Coarse Language {PG}

The Bobby-Soxer by Jonathan Craig

Originally published 1953 in Manhunt (short story collection); this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

R18+

(V, L, S)

Violence {M}

Sexual Violence {R18+} {any depiction of sexual violence gets this rating automatically}

Coarse Language {M}

Sexual References {PG}

Representations

Three-Ten to Yuma by Elmore Leonard

Originally published March 1953 in Dime Western; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

M

(V, D, L)

Some violence {M}

Drug use {PG} {tobacco}

Some coarse language {PG}

Representations

Gender:

Level 18: This Place Seems Reasonably Safe

Not safe at all! Surrounded by 12 paladins and 9 wolves. Sleeping, at least. She could try confusing and slowing them all with her staves, but that may not be enough. Marash calls upon the divinity to portal her somewhere safer.

Nor Iron Bars by John D. Macdonald

Originally published March-April 1947 in the Doc Savage; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

PG

(D)

Drug Use {PG} {tobacco}

Representations

Gender:

No female characters.

Sex:

No reference to sexuality or relationships.

Level 15: "This place looks uninteresting"
 
A corridor, a door. At least she is momentarily safe. Her first actions are detections.
 
The evil she finds lies down an open path behind her. Most easy, except am illusionist she has not yet defeated. She chooses to move away, exploring deeper.
 
The illusionist appears behind her. She turns the rod of drain life upon it, but fails to activate it correctly. She protects herself from evil; the illusionist vanishes.
 

I thought, if I made more posts about what I am up to, that might be helpful. Diary entries about what I've intended to do for the day and whether I have done those things. Hopefully an incentive to make sure I actually do those things. Been worried about falling behind on matters of importance.

Who Said I Was Dead? by Norbert Davis

Originally published 1942 in the Dime Detective Magazine; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

M

(L, V, D)

Coarse Language {PG}

Drug Use {PG} {Alcohol}

Violence {M}

Representations

Gender:

Mostly men, with a small number of women.

Sex:

Level 12: "This place looks uninteresting"
 
On detections, it does. Evil monsters she would previously have feared, but no longer does. Marash seeks stairs down, worried she has stalled in her quest to destroy Morgoth. Her only path anywhere is past those foes anyway.
 
Dark elf mage and warrior, little trouble. Nor a handful of wolves. Eight paladins, much more trouble, enough to worry. They leave behind money, an extra staff of slow monsters, and a pair of boots.
 
Level 13: "This place looks uninteresting"