Part 24: Gnomes, Why did it Have to Be Gnomes?

Chapter 3: Gnomes, Why did it Have to Be Gnomes?


This will be the main means of transportation from here on out. Every interesting place you have visited will show up as a symbol on the map, and you will instantly travel there if you click on it. You can also see the four main plazas in Shapier: the Gates Plaza where Nike is, the Fountain Plaza in the middle, the Fighter’s Plaza in the west, and the Palace Plaza to the east. Finally, something to remember is that all the directions you’ll get to locations will be just the street names. The names of the streets are unlabeled on the map, but you can read them when exploring the alleys, so all the manual’s copy can do is speed up the process of finding the various locations.

Ooh, neat map. There’s even a little me walking around. Hi, little me!


Nice flowers. I’ll be sure to get some from here if I ever need any. What’s your name?
My name is Lisha, which means “quiet one” in the language of the Katta.

I’ve always suspected that the languages mentioned in the Quest for Glory series are based off of real world languages. Can anyone in the audience confirm/deny this?

Do you know what the deal is with the snake charmer over there?
He plays in the bazaar for his living. The snake is his eternal companion and music critic. You will likely also see him in the inn at nights.
Huh. Well, see ya.
Farewell, Hero of Spielburg.
Wait, you already know about that?
All of the Katta do. We are a very close community, and Shameen has already told us of your promise to help.
_{I don’t recall “promising” anything.} Yeah, helping you, right. Well, gotta run.

It’s usually best to avoid buying anything from the Katta stalls at first. You do need the things being sold to solve various puzzles later, but there are also several red herrings as well. To keep this somewhat organic, I won’t buy what I need until when I need it (for the most part), but know that you can get quite a lot of stuff you technically shouldn’t straight off the bat, at least in the original game. If you do want to experiment, however, then pay attention to your score: it will usually go up when you buy something important.


You can refill your waterskins at the fountain.

Wait, are all the merchants Katta? A persecuted minority, driven from their homes, and who all apparently love to sell merchandise? This land sure is weird.


We have delicious things for you to eat.
Mouth-tempting falafels of fresh-roasted lamb.
Dates stuffed with honeyed almonds to tease your tongue.
It is a certainty that you will enjoy what we sell.
So who are you guys?
I am Scoree.
I am Sloree.
We are life mates.
You humans would call us husband and wife.
What have you got on the burner?
We have a very delicious bread.
The bread is first fried in olive oil.
Then honey is poured upon it.
It can be yours for a mere 30 centimes.
We also sell Saurus-On-A-Stick.
The saurus meat is first dipped in spicy paprika.
Then it is quickly cooked over the brazier there.
It is an experience found nowhere but in Shapier.
It is something you will never forget.
Saurus-On-A-Stick is 70 centimes.
Or perhaps you would like our stuffed dates?
Our fresh dates are stuffed with the finest of almonds, roasted over the brazier carefully and then glazed in honey. We personally stuff the dates ourselves.
We are very fastidious when working, and you will find no Katta hairs in the dates.
The price of the dates is also 30 centimes.
Maybe you are in the mood for something more filling?
A falafel is pita bread stuffed with spicy roasted lamb. A hearty meal.
You will find it most filling.
To have one is just 70 centimes.
But a Hero such as you must have need for travel rations.
Our lizard jerky rations are very cheap.
The jerky is prepared with only the finest, most succulent, rock-flattened lizards.
Our special blend of preservatives lets the rich, full-bodied lizard flavor come through.
A pack of five is only 100 centimes.
Well, I wasn’t hungry before I came over here. Give me a falafel and a pack of rations.

The hero will eat anything except the rations on the spot, but it does count as a meal, plus he won’t buy anything if he’s full. Bargaining with the food merchants gives you a 10 centime reduction per item.


Pots for sale, earthenware pots in brightly colored glazes. I have the pot you have long sought!
I don’t recall seeking any pots lately. Well, there was that one dream, I suppose…Sorry, your name is?
May it please you, my name is Toshur.
So. Nothing but colored pots, then?
I crafted and fired these pots personally, as well as mixed the glazes with my own—
Sorry, but I already got an earful of sales stuff from the food sellers. I’ll be back if I ever need a pot, but bye for now.
Take care, Hero of Spielburg.


_{Ah, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of getting called that.}


Streets of Shapier (Plus Apothecary and Adventurer’s Guild)

Psychedelic colors, man.
Hm? Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you come in. This is the apothecary, where one can buy many wondrous pills and oils. I am Harik. If you need something, just let me know.
Harik? Does that mean anything in the local language?
My full name is Harik Attar, which in your language means “Fire Druggist.” I was well named.
I’ll say. Hey, how come everybody seems to know my language around here, anyway?
As merchants, it helps to know every language you can. As for knowing which one you speak, well, do you see many people around here with sand-colored hair?
Good point. So what potions do you pack around here?
Potions? Those are too wasteful with water. I sell pills here. I only do potions at special request.
Special request, eh? Would you happen to have any dispel potions? They were pretty useful last time.
Well, I’ve got most of the ingredients for that already. I believe all I’d need is a griffon’s feather and, let me think…ah, that may be a problem. I need the “Fruit of Compassion.”
Wait, what? Feathers and fruit? What about green fur and magic acorns and Flying water?
That may be a different recipe you heard. Substitution is fairly common in alchemy, and several different potions can have similar effects.
I guess that makes sense. So the feather sounds straightforward, but what’s a Fruit of Compassion?
The Fruit of Compassion is extremely rare. It can only be given, never taken or bought. I have heard rumors of but one plant in the entire land where you might find this.
Well, where is it?
I don’t know. You will need to speak with the Enchantress Aziza. She has a house along the side of Shmali Tarik.
Ah, dang it, not this crap again. Anyway, what are the pills you’re selling? Same set?
I have vigor for 5 dinars, healing for 10, and mana pills for 15, as well as poison cure pills at 12. Each bottle comes with three pills. Take one with water and get plenty of rest.
Uh oh. Are poisonous things much of a problem around here?
There are giant scorpions in the desert. Very deadly. Bring back the stinger if you find any, though, I can pay you 20 dinars for it. I’m also accepting ghoul claws for 15.
Lovely. At least the money won’t hurt. So how about getting me some of those pills? Oh yeah, and I’d like some of that oil you mentioned earlier, too.

Bargaining with Harik causes him to throw in a fourth pill at the same price.

See you around, Harik.
Remember, there is a special money-back guarantee with every pill I sell. If you die because of a pill, I will gladly refund your money.



Flowers? Wasn’t there someone at the Gates Plaza who was selling the same thing?
You speak of Lisha, do you not? She will sell you flowers for bouquets, but the plants I provide will keep you company the year round.
Ah, so you sell potted plants, then. What’s your name?
Lasham I am called; sharing the living beauty of plants is my joy.
Well, I’m currently living out of a hotel room, but it was nice meeting you.


Brass is essence of all that I sell: lanterns and lamps, braziers and bottles, tea servers and cups. I have the goods of the finest workers of metal in the city.
But you just said you only have brass items.
Indeed, the finest workers of brass have their goods sold here.
But…oh whatever. So what’s your name, and what have you got?
I am called Tashtari, which means “Sunset Glow.” My oil lamps will light the way through the darkest night. Surely an adventurer such as you would have need for such a thing. For you, Effendi, I will charge but 15 dinars.
I suppose adventurers could all stand to have a light source. _{I just hope this doesn’t mean I have to crawl around the sewers. Sewers always suck.} I’ll take it!

Tashtari will reduce the lamp’s cost to 10 dinars through bargaining.

What about the rest? Do you have any bottles I could use?
Alas, I just sold my last bottle last week to a stranger named Hadji. He said something about a dream of djinni.
Too bad. Thanks for the lamp, though.


I have baskets of all colors, sizes, and shapes to contain whatever you wish. I will be most honored if the Hero of the North were to purchase one of my baskets.
Sorry, but I said no to the pot merchant, so I’ll have to say no to you. Bye now.
_{Pointless merchants have feelings too…}


Right then, creepy eye that keeps following me? This must be the magic shop.


Keapon Laffin.

Nharak sa’id! Aloha oe! Well come in! Gesundheit! Tip a canoe and how do you do? Pleased to meet you and I mean to please you! Welcome to my little shop of wonders! Wonder what shop it is? It’s magic, of course! I am Keapon Laffin, Proprietor. You must be Nobile Caws. Proud to know you, Mister Caws. Shapier always hopes for heroes. It’s sad, Dad, but if you need to climb to the sublime, you need a rope, Dope. I happen to have a Magic Rope for sale, direct from some Hindoo who did the best he kin do. Hello sailor, new in town? So how ya doin, Bruin? Had any WITty conversation? Been Chanting with the Enchantress yet? Seen all the sights, Justin, or just citing all the scenes? Sell you a spell, Nell?
Oh god damn it, a gnome.
Why the frown, clown?
Sorry, I just had a bad experience with a gnome and his Escher-esque maze a little while ago. What spells do you have for sale?
I’m a little low on spells in stock, but I do have scrolls of Detect Magic for a negligible 10 dinars, Trigger for only 15, Force Bolt for a measly 20, Levitate for a mere 30 dinars, and Erasmus’ Razzle Dazzle for a paltry 25 dinars.
Low on spells? But this place goes on forever! Why—


*Smack*
*It sure LOOKED real!*

Ha ha, you’ve had your laugh. Anyway, I haven’t heard of Force Bolt or Levitate, what do those do?
If you have a need for nudging or a bent for bouncing, Force Bolt is swell. It can punch, it can push, it can even beat around the bush. Levitate’s got its ups and downs, but if you need a lift, this will get your feet up off the ground.
I’ll take them!
Let me see if I’ve still got it.



Silly me. I had it here the whole time.


*Summon*

Bargaining lowers the price of most of Keapon’s stock by 10 dinars.
And how much is that rope you mentioned?
If you are inclined to climb, a Magic Rope can give you hope. To make it rise, close your eyes, raise your arms high, and watch it fly. If the time is right, you’re in a plight, you can get it across if you give it a toss. Burma Shave. It’s a good tool, fool, but remember the rule—the Magic can’t last, and on your last cast, it’ll go fast—so don’t waste it, or you might find yourself hanging in the air with nothing there. We have a special on Magic Ropes this year. It usually costs 12,500 centimes. For a limited time only, though, it’s only 125 dinars. So do you wanta scope a rope, Miss Anthrope?
Ouch, a little rich for what I’ve got. I’ll be sure to get it later, though.

The rope is required for nearly all thief-based activities in this game, including the way in which he wins the game. You can technically beat the game as a thief without it, and even without magic as well, but that’s just boring, now isn’t it? Suddenly you’re just a fighter without the impressive weaponry. Also, I believe that only a thief or someone with Pick Locks can even buy the rope in the first place.

Would you happen to know any other spellcasters in town? We are a tight-knit bunch, from what I understand.
Auntie Azizie lives off the east end of Shmali Tarik. Mind your P’s and Q’s when you are there, or she might send you you-know-where. If you want to be WITty, then search in the city. The nitty-gritty to this ditty: you need magic to find it, ‘twas designed by committee. Do not hurry. Do not wait. The astrologer will tell your fate. He is not near. He is not far. He’s at the end of Tarik of Stars.
Thanks, I guess.
Anything else, Carmen Gelse?
My name is Nike, you know.
Ooh, I like Nike.
Argh.

There's also an easter egg involving buying and wearing a certain pair of glasses on sale here. I don't think I'll get into it, though. Let's just say that it wouldn't be worksafe if the resolution were any higher.


And so, in a fairly short amount of time, we have purchased a wide variety of items and run down our gold count by over three quarters. Nike might have had enough to get the rope straight off, but getting all the pills and spells first really bit into his wallet. Only one spell remains to be found in this game, however.


Finally, here is a look at Nike’s new character sheet. Both Intelligence and Communication tend to go up when you’re talking to people. You’ll also notice the new Honor stat. This goes up as we perform good deeds, and goes down as we betray and rob our way to wealth and victory. Watch as this number plummets in the near future.