diff --git a/README.stateless b/README.stateless
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..642d381
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.stateless
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+This is version 1.1 of the stateless patch.
+
+This patch aims at making the bot maintainer's life easier by making
+games a bit more reproducible.  Just define the NETHACKSTATE
+environment variable with the RNG seed you want used instead of time()
+prior to launching the game.
+
+For example, the following command line always yields a lawful male
+human knight, with a pet pony and a fountain in the starting room.
+Going straight to the fountain to quaff gives the see invisible
+intrinsic and dries out the fountain.
+
+    NETHACKSTATE=2 nethack
+
+Obviously, if you use a different RNG, you'll get a different result
+on this one, but at least it'll be stable.
+
+
+LIMITATIONS
+  - no bones for you
+  - time-of-day-related behavior (undead, gremlins) is static per game
+
+BUGS
+  - state isn't preserved across savefiles
+  - moreover, attempting to restore a stateless game would mess up the
+    log file--just don't
diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index 3efbfa2..4d724f6 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -351,6 +351,8 @@ typedef unsigned char	uchar;
 /*#define GOLDOBJ */	/* Gold is kept on obj chains - Helge Hafting */
 /*#define AUTOPICKUP_EXCEPTIONS */ /* exceptions to autopickup */
 
+#define STATELESS /* reproducible games */
+
 /* End of Section 5 */
 
 #include "global.h"	/* Define everything else according to choices above */
diff --git a/include/you.h b/include/you.h
index 2ca496d..a1eb8ad 100644
--- a/include/you.h
+++ b/include/you.h
@@ -365,4 +365,10 @@ struct you {
 
 #define Upolyd (u.umonnum != u.umonster)
 
+#ifdef STATELESS
+extern time_t realbirthday;
+#else
+#define realbirthday u.ubirthday
+#endif
+
 #endif	/* YOU_H */
diff --git a/src/bones.c b/src/bones.c
index 585200a..b725722 100644
--- a/src/bones.c
+++ b/src/bones.c
@@ -163,6 +163,10 @@ can_make_bones()
 {
 	register struct trap *ttmp;
 
+#ifdef STATELESS
+	if(getenv("NETHACKSTATE"))
+	    return FALSE;
+#endif
 	if (ledger_no(&u.uz) <= 0 || ledger_no(&u.uz) > maxledgerno())
 	    return FALSE;
 	if (no_bones_level(&u.uz))
@@ -381,6 +385,11 @@ getbones()
 	if(discover)		/* save bones files for real games */
 		return(0);
 
+#ifdef STATELESS
+        if (getenv("NETHACKSTATE"))
+                return 0;
+#endif
+
 	/* wizard check added by GAN 02/05/87 */
 	if(rn2(3)	/* only once in three times do we find bones */
 #ifdef WIZARD
diff --git a/src/hacklib.c b/src/hacklib.c
index 0d08270..302b139 100644
--- a/src/hacklib.c
+++ b/src/hacklib.c
@@ -460,6 +460,12 @@ static struct tm *NDECL(getlt);
 void
 setrandom()
 {
+#ifdef STATELESS
+	char *seedopt = getenv("NETHACKSTATE");
+	if (seedopt) srandom(atol(seedopt));
+	else {
+#endif
+
 	/* the types are different enough here that sweeping the different
 	 * routine names into one via #defines is even more confusing
 	 */
@@ -483,6 +489,10 @@ setrandom()
 #  endif
 # endif
 #endif
+
+#ifdef STATELESS
+        }
+#endif
 }
 
 static struct tm *
@@ -580,6 +590,10 @@ phase_of_the_moon()		/* 0-7, with 0: new, 4: full */
 	register struct tm *lt = getlt();
 	register int epact, diy, goldn;
 
+#ifdef STATELESS
+        if (getenv("NETHACKSTATE")) return u.ubirthday % 8;
+#endif
+
 	diy = lt->tm_yday;
 	goldn = (lt->tm_year % 19) + 1;
 	epact = (11 * goldn + 18) % 30;
@@ -594,6 +608,10 @@ friday_13th()
 {
 	register struct tm *lt = getlt();
 
+#ifdef STATELESS
+        if (getenv("NETHACKSTATE")) return (u.ubirthday % 210) == 0;
+#endif
+
 	return((boolean)(lt->tm_wday == 5 /* friday */ && lt->tm_mday == 13));
 }
 
@@ -602,12 +620,19 @@ night()
 {
 	register int hour = getlt()->tm_hour;
 
+#ifdef STATELESS
+        if (getenv("NETHACKSTATE")) hour = u.ubirthday % 24;
+#endif
+        
 	return(hour < 6 || hour > 21);
 }
 
 int
 midnight()
 {
+#ifdef STATELESS
+	if (getenv("NETHACKSTATE")) return (u.ubirthday % 24) == 0;
+#endif
 	return(getlt()->tm_hour == 0);
 }
 #endif /* OVL2 */
diff --git a/src/restore.c b/src/restore.c
index aaabbed..cbc1758 100644
--- a/src/restore.c
+++ b/src/restore.c
@@ -383,6 +383,10 @@ unsigned int *stuckid, *steedid;	/* STEED */
 	amii_setpens(amii_numcolors);	/* use colors from save file */
 #endif
 	mread(fd, (genericptr_t) &u, sizeof(struct you));
+#ifdef STATELESS
+	realbirthday = u.ubirthday; /* WILL mess up record file on restored
+				     * "stateless" games. So don't. */
+#endif
 	set_uasmon();
 #ifdef CLIPPING
 	cliparound(u.ux, u.uy);
diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index 9291eb9..aceb884 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ int
 dosave()
 {
 	clear_nhwindow(WIN_MESSAGE);
+#ifdef STATELESS
+	if (getenv("NETHACKSTATE"))
+	  pline("Warning: restoring stateless games kills kittens!");
+#endif
 	if(yn("Really save?") == 'n') {
 		clear_nhwindow(WIN_MESSAGE);
 		if(multi > 0) nomul(0);
diff --git a/src/topten.c b/src/topten.c
index 19a0488..42c3378 100644
--- a/src/topten.c
+++ b/src/topten.c
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ int how;
 			(void) strncat(t0->death, killer, DTHSZ);
 			break;
 	}
-	t0->birthdate = yyyymmdd(u.ubirthday);
+	t0->birthdate = yyyymmdd(realbirthday);
 	t0->deathdate = yyyymmdd((time_t)0L);
 	t0->tt_next = 0;
 #ifdef UPDATE_RECORD_IN_PLACE
diff --git a/src/u_init.c b/src/u_init.c
index 77c92b0..dfc2077 100644
--- a/src/u_init.c
+++ b/src/u_init.c
@@ -491,6 +491,9 @@ static const struct def_skill Skill_W[] = {
     { P_NONE, 0 }
 };
 
+#ifdef STATELESS
+time_t realbirthday;
+#endif
 
 STATIC_OVL void
 knows_object(obj)
@@ -583,10 +586,34 @@ u_init()
 			aligns[flags.initalign].value;
 	u.ulycn = NON_PM;
 
+	/* ubirthday had two uses:
+	 *   - a random value constant over a game, used for "static
+	 *     randomness" like anthole type selection, T-shirt writing
+	 *     erosion, gem pricing and shopkeeper naming.
+	 *   - actual game timestamping (record file)
+	 *
+	 * Since the STATELESS patch doesn't support savefiles yet,
+	 * save actual game start in a global for the record file, and
+	 * consume a Rand() for the static randomness.
+	 *
+	 * If STATELESS is undef'd, both identifiers should resolve to
+	 * the same. (you.h)
+	 */
 #if defined(BSD) && !defined(POSIX_TYPES)
-	(void) time((long *)&u.ubirthday);
+	(void) time((long *)&realbirthday);
 #else
-	(void) time(&u.ubirthday);
+	(void) time(&realbirthday);
+#endif
+#ifdef STATELESS
+        {
+          char *state = getenv("NETHACKSTATE");
+          if (state) {
+            state = strchr(state, '/');
+            if (state++) u.ubirthday = atol(state);
+            else u.ubirthday = Rand();
+          }
+          else u.ubirthday = realbirthday;
+        }
 #endif
 
 	/*