Part 16: All He Wants to Do Is Dance, Dance
Chapter 15: All He Wants to Do Is Dance, Dance
QfG1 Manual posted:
The Unknown
Night Gaunts
No one is certain just what these creatures look like since those who have
met Night Gaunts are dead. Adventurers should be cautioned against sleeping
in unprotected wilderness areas at night because the Night Gaunts'll get ya
if ya don't watch out.
Well, only half of the day is gone at this point, and it looks like there was something to the north of the goblins. I wonder what’s up there?
Directions: Two west, one north, one west, and one north from the centaur farm, or two north from the goblins. Also, Baba Yaga. The quiet part plays inside the hut.
Baba Yaga does not welcome strangers! She is one tough magic user. If you’re stupid enough that you want to enter, perhaps we can make a deal. So this is Baba Yaga’s hut? Well, the countercurse said I’d have to get rid of her on top of everything else, so I might as well do it now. Heck, freeing the baronet was child’s play, how hard could this be? I’ll probably just trick her into her own oven or something. So what did you want to deal about, skull? All the other skulls have glowing eyes. But me? Noooo! I don’t need lovely glowing eyes! Just open and close the gate, that’s all I’m good for. But if you can give me a glowing gem for my eyes, then I’ll let you in the gate.
What, that’s it? Heck, I’ve got a glowing gem on me right now! Stupid fence not taking glowing gems. Here you go.
Yeccchhh! Is THAT what you look like??? Oh, and before I lower the gate, you’ll need a rhyme to get the hut to squat. The rhyme is “Hut of brown, now sit down!”
I just got the odd feeling like I wasted two gold pieces. Oh well, I’d better stand as close to the hut as I can.
*You here a voice in your head asking, “What is the rhyme?”*
Hut of brown, now sit down!
Nooooo! Oh perspective, why did you have to lie to me so?
Man, good thing I was out here when I said the rhyme. That looks like it might have hurt.
Look pets…we have a visitor! Baba Yaga, your days of—Powers of Night,
Shadows of Day—
Heed now my Words!
Henceforth you STAY!
*You find yourself suddenly unable to move.*
Well, dearies! What shall we have for supper today?
*Rustle/squeak* Hero sandwiches? I had something more formal in mind. Ah, that’s it! Frog Legs Fricassee! Now how does that spell go…?Hear me, oh Powers
Of Klatha and Mana!
Turn now my guest
Into a species called Rana!
I learned that spell from Erasmus, kids. Doesn’t it look delicious?
BE STILL! Critics! We can’t all be gourmands, I suppose. Now, Oh-Soon-To-Be-Supper…I don’t suppose you have a name?
*Ribbit* Oh well. Bon appetite, dearies!
I don’t suppose you have a name? *Rike* So you’re the one who’s trying to be a hero around here. The only good hero’s a dead hero, I always say! …But I do have a need for a brave fool. Are YOU brave? *Reeess* Wellll…if you’re willing to do a small little teensy favor for me, I might reconsider having you for supper. I need the root of a mandrake plant that grows in the graveyard. Will you be a sweet and fetch me some? *Res res res res* And I had my mouth watering for frog. Oh well!Hear what I say,
And hear me right:
Mandrake must be pulled
At precisely Midnight!
This I tell you
And this I say:
Return with the root
‘Ere the break of next day.
Hear what I say
And know I don’t lie:
Bring back the root
Or else you will die!!
You, shoo!
*From a distance, you hear the witch intone:*
Oops! I very nearly forgot…Hear me, O Powers
Of Mana and More:
Turn this fool back
As he was before.
Lucky for me, it was close to nightfall. Since I need to wait for midnight anyway, I suppose I should go see if the fairies are at the ring yet.
The Fairy Ring.
Hooray!Here’s the deal: doing the fairies’ conversation normally would have been tedious, plus I wanted to show off the hero’s “moves,” so I made a video.
Let me apologize in advance about the conversation speed; it feels longer when you’ve read the text 50 times before.
Well, it’s just about midnight now, so I guess I’d better head to the graveyard. I guess I’ll follow that spectral skeleton.
Directions: Two west, one south, and one east from the centaur farm.
QfG1 Manual posted:
Floating Spirits, Ghosts, Spectres, and Wraiths
Floating Spirits are a minor sort of ghost caused by desecrated graves.
Although they are graceful and even strangely attractive, they can draw out
the life from any unfortunate who wanders into a graveyard at night without
magical protection. Undead Unguent is commonly used to repel floating
spirits and is usually available at the local healer or apothecary.
Ghosts, Spectres, and Wraiths can be easily identified by the feelings of
intense cold and fear that immediately precedes their appearance. They
should be avoided at all cost unless the adventurer is a Wizard-class Magic
User or a Paladin-level Hero.
Good thing I bought that unguent on a whim. I don’t think the Healer’s open this late. I’ll just grab the giant red plant over there and get out.*You wrench the mandrake plant free from the tombstone on which it has grown. You hear a scream like that of a dying child as you yank the root from the ground.*
I should also note that you can do this at any point (so long as it’s after midnight), rather than just after Baba Yaga curses you. She’s the only one who wants a mandrake, though. Also, coming here after dark is quite deadly if you don’t have undead unguent on.
Uh oh.
QfG1 Manual posted:
Mantray
Assumed to be of magical origin, the Mantray has the abilities of
camouflage, flight, and controlled lightning. Resembling a cross between a
Manta Ray and a Sting Ray, it lives in forested areas where it conceals
itself upon the ground, awaiting the unwary.
Oh, and then there’s the part where throwing Flame Darts works perfectly well wherever he’s floating. A bit less dangerous to a magic user, this one. The mantray also drops nothing of value.
Man, the forest is dangerous at night! I’d better wait at the centaur’s farm before I head back to Baba Yaga.
Wheeeeeere’s myyyyyy maaaandraaaaake rooooooooooooot?
You know, I bet that b…witch doesn’t have any patience at all. I’d better sneak back over there.
QfG1 Manual posted:
Cheetaur
The Cheetaur is noted for its speed and cunning. This cat-like creature with
a humanoid torso has a deadly slashing combination of claws and bite. The
northern variety is more panther-like and slower at running than its slender
southern cousin, but retains its swiftness in attack. Fortunately for the
local inhabitants, Cheetaurs never prosper in the colder regions.
This cheetaur died from that one extra swing. Talk about cutting it close. Oh, and vitality hit 100, this game’s maximum. Yay!
So you made it back, did you? She’s expecting you. Back so soon?Spirits of Mist
And Creatures of Bog:
Transform my guest
To the shape of a Frog.
This I vow:
Stay there now!
Yum, yum. Froggie Frappe! …Did you bring me my mandrake like you promised? *res* Well? Where is it? What’s the matter? Got a frog in your throat? *Rustle/squeak* I suppose I’ll have to turn you back into whatever it is that you were. Pity! You’re much more appetizing this way.Creatures of Bog
And Spirits of Fog:
Return the true form
To this rather dumb Frog.
Now, did you put it in your backpack? Ah! Here it is. Kids! We have it! That’s it! The final ingredient. Now we can make our greatest creation…MANDRAKE MOUSSE!
*Rustle!/squeak!* What’s that, children? You think we should reward our lackey here? Very well, ex-frog. I’ll let you live this time. Next time, though, it’s frog legs for sure! So…go!
That woman needs a taste of her own medicine. Now if only I could get my hands on that magic mirror…