Quest for Glory 1-5 Part #8 - Hey Look, Furries! Can I Pet You?

Part 8: Hey Look, Furries! Can I Pet You?

Chapter 8: Hey Look, Furries! Can I Pet You?

QfG1 Manual posted:

Innkeepers
In order to recover from a hard day of adventuring, there is nothing better
than a nice warm meal and a snuggly bed. Innkeepers are quite capable of
exacting vengeance upon a rude adventurer, whether by moldy bread and
uncooked stew or by the bedbugs, so it is best not to perturb them.

Shopkeepers
Shopkeepers and merchants are good sources for needed equipment.

First thing’s first: we rewind to before the acorn is eaten. The dispel potion is required to win the game, and the dryad only gives you the one acorn. On the way back to town, a saurus is spotted:

QfG1 Manual posted:

Saurus
Creatures of enormous appetites and very little brain, Sauruses tend to do
a lot of running around. The Saurus is scaly and lizard-like with highly
developed hind quarters upon which it runs, and small, under-developed front
legs used to grasp food. its large mouth is filled with sharp teeth. Despite
its fearsome appearance, it is remarkably easily defeated by the seasoned
adventurer.

As monsters go, the saurus is the bottom of the heap. Both of the other random encounters that occur during the day (brigands and goblins) are at least able to defend themselves against attack, while this saurus wasn’t even able to land a single hit. They don’t even have anything worth taking, more’s the shame.

Looks like I showed up too late. Well, there’s only one solution to this problem:

Hah! Take that, horizontal barriers!

As much fun as it was staying up for two days straight, I think I’d better get some sleep. Heck, I don’t even know how much of that dryad bit was real!

The inn has its own theme, but it’s buried in the middle of the Spielburg Theme. Refer back to the first update if you’d like to hear it.

Welcome! Welcome, traveler, to the Hero’s Tale Inn! I am Shameen, at your service. May you find what you seek here.

Woah, talking cat! I really am out of it.

I understand if you have not seen my like before, but I assure you I am quite real. I am a Katta, and my people are normally found far to the south of here, in a land called Shapier.

Really? Then what are you doing here?

Alas, the caravan that Abdulla Doo, Sheema, and I were traveling with was attacked by the brigands of this valley. All of our wealth was stolen, and I had barely enough left over to purchase this house and open an inn.

That must have been a lot of money. When did this all happen?

Last week.

Really? Damn, you cats are fast.

Well, we do try to land on our feet. Now, if you will but be seated, my lifemate, Sheema, will attend to your hunger.

Points can also be gained here by giving Abdulla Doo some money.

Oh, it is indeed sad and dangerous times we live in when a man who struggles daily to keep from starving should be robbed of all his earthly possessions!

So I’m betting you’re Abdulla Doo?

That is indeed my name, though it shames me to say it, as the wealthy merchant Abdulla Doo is now a penniless beggar who must now leech off his far-too-gracious friends.

Hey now, I’ve met a beggar, and he’s doing a lot more poorly than you.

I thank you for that kindness, friend, but it remains true that those brigands have taken my every worldly possession. There was even a flying carpet I had planned to give to the sultan himself! But now I am stuck here in this frigid northland, without even the decency of my own home.

Flying carpet, huh? Sounds fancy. But tell me about that brigand attack; I am kind of an adventurer, and I was figuring to do something about the problem.

Really? That would be wonderful! Let’s see…the band of brigands ambushed us just as we crossed the pass into the valley. There were about twelve brigands, including a huge minotaur. There was also a leader, and some sort of wizard. They first used some sort of magic which blinded us. Then they overwhelmed my six guards and my assistants. All my trade goods taken from before me!

So how huge was this minotaur?

Quite huge.

…Great. So what happened with the wizard and the blinding magic?

He threw something at us that caused my eyes to water and my nose to sneeze. I was made quite helpless.

So you weren’t even injured when the bandits took your goods? But they did kill the guards, right?

Ha! Not one of the cowards died to protect me or my wealth! I pay them to guard my caravan, and what do they do? They run away! I swear, you can’t hire good guards these days.

That seems…strange. The bandits I saw looked perfectly willing to riddle me with holes. Did you get a good look at their leader?

Sadly, I did not. He wore a heavy black cloak that concealed his face. His voice was rather oddly high-pitched, though.

Interesting. Well, thanks for the info, especially about that minotaur. Hey, Shameen, can I get some service now?

Of course, sir.

Technically, she appears once you sit down, but I figured one conversation at a time would be smoother.

My name is Sheema, and it shall please me to serve you tonight.

Thank you, Sheema, and may I say that I have never seen a bare belly quite so…hairy…before.

You flatter me.

O…kay. So what’s for dinner?

We have very good stew of newborn lamb along with honey chicken for a mere three silvers. Coffee is included in the price of the meal.

Sounds tasty. So what’s your story?

My story is that of my lifemate, Shameen. While he runs the inn, I cook and serve food to our guests. Were times better, I would also dance, but the climate is far too cold and I am far too homesick to do so now.

That’s too bad. I’m sure I’m missing…something. Well, I’ll have that meal now, thank you.

I bring you that which you ordered. May it please and satisfy you.

Yes, I’d certainly miss…something. So, Shameen, how about that room?

In the back, sir. Simply five silvers and it is yours for the night.

This is what it normally says. Personally, I prefer
*You sleep fitfully and toss and turn all night. Seriously, what made you think drinking coffee before going to sleep was a good idea?*

Ah, it’s nice to sleep after two days of activity. Hey, where did Abdulla go?

He goes into the back room to cry during the day, sir.

I’ll take one of everything!

QfG1 Manual posted:

Open
This useful little spell is particularly suited for absentminded spell-
casters who tend to misplace their keys. Unless an item is designed to be
used with the spell, the 'Open' is limited to unlocking simple locks when
first learned. With experience, however, the spell can be used to open a
variety of closed objects such as doors.

Fetch
Lowenhard's Lariat of Legerdemain or as it is better known, 'Fetch', is a
spell to manipulate objects at a distance. Upon casting, this spell creates
an energy field around a visible object and brings it to the caster. With a
good deal of skill, it can be used to move objects from one place to
another. It is limited to small, non-living objects.

Flame Dart
One of the most colorful and popular of spells, the 'Flame Dart' projects a
field of magical fire towards an object or thing. The amount of damage
produced is directly related to the amount of experience with the spell.

Directions: 1 east, 2 north, and 2 east from the Healer's Hut.

Wow, you think I’d notice something like this coming into the valley. What the heck is that wall in the back, anyway? My travel agent will hear about this!

Actually, the “wall” in the back is likely a lava dyke, an indication that this region was once volcanically active a few million years ago.

Signs that appear out of nowhere and make horrible puns. I believe this indicates the presence of a wizard who is powerful enough that he doesn’t care what others think of his sense of humor. Well, that hike won’t get any easier with me just staring at it.

This screen lasts long enough for you to look at a few things, getting results like:

Purple mountains’ majesty, above the fruity plain.
It looks like a cross between a castle and an angry purple rhinoceros.
Perhaps it’s a tower of power.

*You feel as though you have just scaled the Matterhorn in full armor. What a climb! You can see all of Spielburg valley from here.*

STAND FAST! HE WHO WOULD THE WIZARD SEE FIRST MUST ANSWER QUESTIONS THREE:

This screen contains more references and shout-outs than half the rest of the game. In addition to the obvious “three questions” bit lifted from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the answers you can select from nearly all refer to something else, as well.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME?