Part 61: Reaching Out to Your Enemies

Chapter 13: Reaching Out to Your Enemies


I suppose I’ve done all I can in Tarna for now. Maybe I’ll go see what’s happening at the Simbani village while I wait for the dispel potions to cook.


This is the magic staff in action. While it’s out, I can cast any spell (except for Trigger) at no cost, but I unfortunately can’t move without it disappearing and it desummons once close combat starts. Still, it’s a handy way to make your mana stretch, since the stuff doesn’t replenish completely overnight.



A prisoner? Wait, you caught a Leopardman?
Indeed, bwana. The prisoner is being held in the cage behind the hut of the Laibon. Our warriors are most proud that they have caught a Leopardman. You’d better hurry, though, or you’ll miss the storyteller’s story.
Some sort of victory speech?
That be not the way of the storyteller, bwana. Go now and listen.


Initiation Ritual (also plays for the storyteller’s stories)

Hamjambo, mabwana.

Crowd: Sijambo, bwana.

I have caught a story.

Crowd: We will listen.

It is all a lie.
It is all the truth.
Listen and learn.

Crowd: We will listen.

There once was a people.
A proud people.
A people with the wealth of the land and their cattle.
A people with a Spear of Death.
One day, a thief came into the village and stole this Spear of Death.

Crowd: We will listen.

This thief stole more than just the spear.
He stole the pride of the people.
He stole the honor of the people.
He stole the wealth of the people.
This thief showed the people that they had an enemy. There cannot be peace as long as you have an enemy.

Crowd: We will listen.

Now the people be angry.
Now the people see the enemy in every stranger.
Now the people have lost the great wealth of peace.
Now the people call out for war.
They call upon their friends to join them in war.
They call out at the enemy to meet them in war.
But the enemy does not speak.

Crowd: We will listen.

So the people go to war against an enemy they cannot see.
The people go to war against an enemy they cannot hear.
The people go to war against an enemy they do not know.
Who will win this war?
The people do not know.
The people know that without the spear, there be no wealth.
The people know that without the spear, there be no peace.
The people know that without the spear, there be an enemy.

Crowd: We will listen.

The people will fight the enemy and they will win.
The people will fight the enemy and they will lose.
That is always the way when there be an enemy.
That is always the way when there be war.
That be the story that I found.

Crowd: We listen and learn.

I now set the story free.

Crowd: We will remember.

*The crowd breaks up, and everyone goes back to their huts to sleep.*


Now, it’s about time I go see this Leopardman.



Caged Leopardman

Yesufu? They put you on guard duty?
They do, friend Nike. It be a great honor to guard the Leopardman. Maybe now we can make them give back our Spear of Death.
I’ve never seen a Leopardman before.
Look at their magic! It turns them into animals. That is the way of magic. The prisoner tried many spells to get out of the cage, but the cage stops the magic. It is good.
_{Wow, these people really don’t know the first thing about spells.} So what was this person doing when you first spotted him?
The warriors found the Leopardman when the light first filled the sky. He be trying to spy upon our village. The Simbani be too smart for him and he be caught. Maybe we trade this Leopardman for the Spear of Death. Maybe we make him tell us where his village hides. Either way, the Simbani will gain back the Spear of Death.
You sure are the guys with the plan. _{Hey, mister Leopardman, would you be willing to talk to me?}

*The Leopardman just glares at you.*

I see. Well, good day, Yesufu. I think I would like to talk to the Laibon now.
Kwa heri, friend Nike. I’m sure he be wanting to speak about the prisoner.



Habari, Laibon.
Mzuri, young hero. You come about the prisoner, yes?
Actually, we didn’t really have the chance to talk about many things last time. I was wondering what made the Spear of Death so deadly.
The Spear is the greatest weapon of the Simbani. It will kill whatever it hits. It be the pride of the Simbani.
An apt name, then. I was also wondering about that drum you keep over there.
This drum is the Leopardmen’s Drum of Magic. It is the source of all their power.
If that’s so, then how did it end up here?
One of our bravest warriors, Mbuzi, was found dead outside the village gates one morning with the drum in his hands. He had been killed by magic. Mbuzi had been a dead man before he came to our gates. How he died, we do not know. Mbuzi had been missing many days before we found his dead body with the drum. He was a great warrior and he would not die easy, but there was no sign of battle upon him.
That’s odd, the storyteller insinuated that he was at least alive enough to say “Leopardmen” before dying.
The storyteller always say his stories are lies and truth. The Leopardman prisoner will be guarded at all times. So far, he will not talk and tell us where his village hides. When he does, the Simbani will destroy his village, and return with the Spear of Death. If you can find the Leopardmen village from speaking to the prisoner, then the Simbani will have their Spear of Death back and the war will be over. Go then and thus bring peace to the land. I have spoken. Kwa heri, prince.
Kwa heri, Laibon.



“Peace” my pasty white ass. Even the great martial sages say that the best war is one that’s over before it begins. Well, Salim might take a few more days, so I’ll just see what’s over this way.


Eastern Fricana

This is the single most dangerous screen in the game, particularly at night. The plot never actually demands that you walk over this way on your own, so I’ll just stick all the combat stuff in here.


Hey, what the—a monkey in a monkey trap? What are you doing here, monkey?
Are you a man-friend? Please free Manu, man-friend!
Oh, a talking monkey! Well I guess that makes sense; you could hardly expect a fox this far south. Don’t worry, talking monkey, I’ll free you!



It’s hard to see, but Manu’s moved up to the branch on the top right.

So how’d you get caught, little monkey?
Manu not little monkey! Manu big monkey. Manu smart monkey.
Alright, so how did you get caught, oh big monkey.
Manu see big fruit on ground. Manu get big fruit on ground. Trap get Manu. Manu very sad. Manu not happy. Manu be plenty dead real soon. Man-friend come. Man-friend break trap. Manu free! Manu very happy. Manu like man-friend.
Well thanks, man-friend likes Manu too. So where do you monkeys live?
Monkeys live in monkey village. Monkey village in tall trees. Many monkeys. Monkeys fun. Monkeys good. Man-friend like monkeys?
You’re the first one I’ve ever seen, so…I guess so?
You alright, man-friend. Manu got to hustle on out of here now, though.
What an interesting—wait. Sekhmet told me I would be releasing three friends from captivity. Does Manu really count toward that?


Right here we have a random encounter with a Leopardman. Don’t worry, though, because apparently all the random encounter Leopardmen are “rogue,” and don’t count against your peace efforts. They can only be encountered in the two jungle screens at night, and are seen here during the day because the encounter table doesn’t reset unless you change screens. Also, unlike every other monster in this game, the Leopardman will keep his distance, preferring to cast spells rather than close to combat screen distance. Fortunately, the Reversal spell works perfectly against the shapechanger’s spells, and while it doesn’t actually cause damage to them, it does give you enough time to kill him at range with your own spells. Also, the fighter/paladin has that shield given by the sultan which reflects spells; if you click it on the hero, he will also bounce spells, although you still need to close the distance or throw stones to kill him between casts.


…You could also just close the range anyway, at which point his attacks cycle between bites, claws, and spells.


Right here we have the apeman, who, in spite of the name, really just seems to be a particularly tan (swarthy?) fellow with heavy eyebrow ridges. The apeman is only encountered in the second jungle screen.


Rock on, apeman, rock on. Something else to note is that, along with the crocs and the Leopardmen, the apemen carry money in their loincloths, usually between 5-10 royals each. Crocs will also carry this much if you find them in the jungle, in spite of not being much harder to kill.

The last of the jungle monsters is this, the demon worm. These are only encountered at night on the second jungle screen, and rarely at that. Most other monsters identify themselves with a warning cry, but all you get from the worm is a shaking screen and a pile of dirt as the demonic thing slowly burrows towards you.


Battle part 2

It also makes a really creepy noise when you hit it.



I would also like to add that, fire aside, the safest way to sleep in the wild is over the corpse of a fallen enemy. Quest for Glory is incapable of spawning two monsters onto the same screen.

Well that settles it. Giant red worms with claws that can tear at my very soul…brrr…demons MUST be involved.