Improve branch descriptions some more

1 files changed, 59 insertions, 63 deletions

diff --git a/crawl-ref/source/dat/descript/branches.txt b/crawl-ref/source/dat/descript/branches.txt
index 627c85033c..d3bf581782 100644
--- a/crawl-ref/source/dat/descript/branches.txt
+++ b/crawl-ref/source/dat/descript/branches.txt
@@ -12,18 +12,18 @@ The dungeon is 15 levels deep, but, honestly, this is only the beginning.
 %%%%
 Temple
 
-A Temple of the Gods, a place of peace and refuge from the insanity of the
+The Ecumenical Temple is a place of peace and refuge from the insanity of the
 dungeon. It usually contains altars to most of the known gods. It is located
 between the levels 4 and 7 of the main dungeon.
 %%%%
 Orcish Mines
 
-The well-worked goldmines of the orcish tribes. These tortuous caverns are
-filled with orcs, their humanoid labourers, and piles of their freshly mined
-gold. Enterprising merchants have set up trading posts to help relieve the orcs
-of their auric burden. The haphazard manner in which orcs tend to dig their
-mineshafts has resulted in a complex and treacherous tangle of chambers in
-which it is easy to get trapped.
+The well-worked goldmines of the orcish tribes are filled with orcs, their
+humanoid labourers, and piles of their freshly mined gold. Enterprising
+merchants have set up trading posts to help relieve the orcs of their auric
+burden. The haphazard manner in which orcs tend to dig their mineshafts has
+resulted in a complex and treacherous tangle of chambers in which it is easy
+to get trapped.
 
 The Orcish Mines are four levels deep and contain the entrance to the Elven
 Halls.
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ The Lair is eight levels deep and contains the stairs to three more branches.
 %%%%
 Swamp
 
-A swampy wasteland, complete with ooze, muck, flies and large slavering
-carnivorous monsters.
+A swampy wasteland, the Swamp is filled with ooze, muck, flies and large
+slavering carnivorous monsters.
 
 The Swamp is five levels deep and contains the decaying rune. A dungeon
 features only one of the Swamp and Shoals branches. If the Swamp is present,
@@ -83,11 +83,12 @@ is present, the entrance is located between Lair:3 and Lair:6.
 %%%%
 Slime Pits
 
-The amorphous realm of acids, jellies and slimes. Any trace of intelligent
-beings has long been dissolved. Still, there are rumours of great treasures
-deep down, hidden safely away in secret chambers without door or window for
-acid to leak in. It is well known that even the walls of this horrible place
-are dripping with painful acid, growing more caustic as you descend.
+The Slime Pits are the amorphous realm of acids, jellies and slimes. Any trace
+of intelligent beings has long been dissolved. Still, there are rumours of
+great treasures deep down, hidden safely away in secret chambers without door
+or window for acid to leak in. It is well known that even the walls of this
+horrible place are dripping with painful acid, growing more caustic as you
+descend.
 
 The Slime Pits are six levels deep and contain the slimy rune. The entry is
 between Lair:6 and Lair:8.
@@ -99,24 +100,24 @@ great treasures. The blood spattered liberally around the entrance suggests
 that there is a certain amount of violence, too.
 
 The Vaults are five levels deep and contain the silver rune, as well as the
-entrances to two more branches. They can be entered while carrying at least one
-rune of Zot. The entrance can be found on either level 13 or 14 of the main
-dungeon.
+entrances to two more branches. They can only be entered while carrying at
+least one rune of Zot. The entrance can be found on either level 13 or 14 of
+the main dungeon.
 %%%%
 Hall of Blades
 
-Once upon a time, all the daggers and axes and polearms would gather at the
-time of night and dance the waltz, dreaming of battlefields void of man and
-beast. That time is no more, yet the weapons are still there.
+Once upon a time, all the daggers and axes and polearms would gather at night
+and dance the waltz, dreaming of battlefields void of man and beast. That time
+is no more, yet the weapons still remain in the Hall of Blades.
 
 The Hall of Blades is a single level and can be found on either Vaults:3 or
 Vaults:4.
 %%%%
 Crypt
 
-A huge repository for the ancient dead. The air is chill and fetid, the walls
-cold and damp. Bones are strewn liberally everywhere and the whole place
-resounds with the keening of the tortured souls of the unquiet dead.
+The Crypt is a huge repository for the ancient dead. The air is chill and
+fetid, the walls cold and damp. Bones are strewn liberally everywhere and the
+whole place resounds with the keening of the unquiet dead.
 
 The Crypt is five levels deep, and contains the entrance to the Tomb. Its entry
 is either on Vaults:2 or Vaults:3.
@@ -124,8 +125,7 @@ is either on Vaults:2 or Vaults:3.
 Tomb
 
 The Tomb of the Ancients is a place of damnation, of horrors animated by the
-vilest necromancy. Honest creatures of the surface turn pale at the mere
-mention of its name. The list of those who have returned from this place of
+vilest necromancy. The list of those who have returned from this place of
 pure death is exceedingly short.
 
 The Tomb is three levels deep and contains the golden rune. Its entry is either
@@ -141,41 +141,40 @@ the main dungeon.
 %%%%
 Dis
 
-The Iron City of Dis. Who will stand the test of iron?
+Who will stand the test of iron?
 
 Dis is seven levels deep and contains the iron rune. It can be accessed via the
 Vestibule of Hell.
 %%%%
 Gehenna
 
-The fires of Gehenna have burnt many a confident hero, and they will burn
-evermore.
+Gehenna is a realm of flames, lava and hellfire.
 
 Gehenna is seven levels deep and contains the obsidian rune. It can be accessed
 via the Vestibule of Hell.
 %%%%
 Cocytus
 
-A grim and frost-bitten wasteland.
+Cocytus is a grim and frost-bitten wasteland.
 
 Cocytus is seven levels deep and contains the icy rune. It can be accessed via
 the Vestibule of Hell.
 %%%%
 Tartarus
 
-A decaying netherworld. Over time, the undead, demons and devils of this place
-drain all life out of treasure-craving visitors.
+Tartarus is a decaying netherworld. Over time, the undead, demons and devils of
+this place drain the life from any who dare to enter.
 
 Tartarus is seven levels deep and contains the bone rune. It can be accessed
 via the Vestibule of Hell.
 %%%%
 Zot
 
-A region of the dungeon that is so terrifying, so full of madness, frenzy and
-lunacy, that it has been locked securely against random trespassers. Only the
-most demented adventurers would dare gather the required keys, break the seal
-and penetrate deeper — all in the vain hope for a fabled artefact no one has
-ever laid eyes on before.
+The Realm of Zot is a region of the dungeon that is so terrifying, so full of
+madness, frenzy and lunacy, that it has been locked securely against random
+trespassers. Only the most demented adventurers would dare gather the required
+keys, break the seal and penetrate deeper — all in the vain hope for a fabled
+artefact no one has ever laid eyes on before.
 
 The Realm of Zot is five levels deep and can only be entered when carrying at
 least three runes.
@@ -191,14 +190,15 @@ schemes around this place and its denizens.
 
 The Abyss consists of five infinite levels. The abyssal rune can be found from
 the third level onwards, and is more common at greater depths. The Abyss can be
-purposefully reached through portals in the deeper levels of the main dungeon.
+purposefully reached through portals in the deeper levels of the main dungeon,
+Portals back to the dungeon are scattered throughout the Abyss, and are found
+more commonly at greater depths or while carrying the abyssal rune.
 %%%%
 Pandemonium
 
-Pandemonium is an infinite realm of pain and suffering. While you can find a
-good deal of loot there, all these treasures are guarded by demons and even
-crueller demon lords. Many a hero, confusing confidence with megalomania, has
-died screaming in the barrage of torment and hellfire.
+Pandemonium is an infinite realm of pain and suffering. While there are many
+treasures to be found within, they are guarded by cruel demons and even
+crueller demon lords.
 
 Pandemonium is endless. Portals there are found abundantly in the deeper parts
 of the main dungeon. Note that getting back might be more difficult.
@@ -216,13 +216,14 @@ A ziggurat is a strange tower constructed of twenty seven levels of
 incrementally larger combat arenas, each containing greater wealth and even
 greater danger than the last. Beware, for a ziggurat is not a place for the
 faint of heart: even the bravest and most skilled adventurers have met their
-ends in one, and even entering requires the power of three runes of Zot. While
-a portal to safety will be present on every level, once left, a ziggurat cannot
-be re-entered.
+ends in one. While a portal to safety will be present on every level, once
+left, a ziggurat cannot be re-entered.
+
+It can only be entered when carrying at least three runes of Zot.
 %%%%
 Labyrinth
 
-The Labyrinth is a large, complex maze designed by subtle and malicious minds
+The labyrinth is a large, complex maze designed by subtle and malicious minds
 for reasons long lost to history. Old stories say that the labyrinth was
 constructed as a prison for a fearsome minotaur. More recent stories say this
 beast dwells there still, guarding the labyrinth's sole exit — as well as a
@@ -237,19 +238,14 @@ While some merchants set up shop in the dungeon, others travel in caravans from
 place to place. The bazaars of these intinerant traders feature a number of
 different shops and often have better stock than the sedentary ones, sometimes
 even at a bargain.
-
-Also be warned that their nomadic lifestyle has taught these sellers to
-appropriate any items an adventurer might leave behind, and then leave quickly,
-probably to sell them elsewhere.
 %%%%
 Trove
 
-Once upon a time, an enterprising thief and wizard, terrified of being caught
-committing an act of burglary, created a system of portals leading into the
-secret treasure troves and chambers of the rich. Too scared to loot them
-himself, he instead charged an extortionate fee for entry to anyone who wanted
-to rifle through them. A clever artificer, he designed his portals to direct
-the entrant to the trove most suited to their needs.
+Once upon a time, an enterprising thief and wizard created a system of portals
+leading into the secret treasure troves and chambers of the rich. Too scared to
+loot them himself, he instead charged an extortionate fee for entry to anyone
+who wanted to rifle through them. A clever artificer, he designed his portals
+to direct the entrant to the trove most suited to their needs.
 
 The items inside this trove are likely to be useful, but beware: the wizard is
 long dead, and even while alive he never offered a money-back guarantee.
@@ -266,22 +262,23 @@ caverns.
 %%%%
 Ossuary
 
-The Ossuary is a small tomb containing the remains and grave goods of some
+The ossuary is a small tomb containing the remains and grave goods of some
 distant relatives of the pharaohs, along with the corpses of their retainers
 and household animals. It is undoubtedly riddled with many traps, and its
 undead denizens are unlikely to take kindly to looting.
 %%%%
 Bailey
 
-The Bailey is the still-occupied and well-guarded fortress of an orcish lord.
+The bailey is the still-occupied and well-guarded fortress of an orcish lord.
 The treasures within are protected by both physical barriers and large numbers
 of well armed humanoid warriors.
 %%%%
 Ice Cave
 
-A desolate cavern shaped from solid ice and filled with the echoes of bestial
-howls. The intricate carvings and statues which once lined its walls have been
-warped and obscured by centuries of slow melting and refreezing.
+The ice cave is a desolate cavern shaped from solid ice and filled with the
+echoes of bestial howls. The intricate carvings and statues which once lined
+its walls have been warped and obscured by centuries of slow melting and
+refreezing.
 %%%%
 Volcano
 
@@ -297,9 +294,8 @@ would frequently find or construct small realms sealed off from the rest of the
 world, where they could isolate themselves in the pursuit of ever-greater
 magical knowledge and power. The mages are long gone, but many of their arcane
 laboratories still exist, filled with the results of their experiments. Those
-willing to explore these laboratories may find powerful magical treasure, but
-be warned: the wizards to whom these labs belonged to deserved their
-reputations.
+willing to explore these laboratories may find powerful magical treasures, but
+be warned: the wizards to whom they belonged deserved their reputations.
 %%%%
 Depths