Part 73: Exploration

Chapter 5: Exploration


Hey doc, I’m—
Ah, you are just in time to witness a magnificent scientific experiment! I have managed to harness the very primal force of lighting at my beck and call. Now I shall use it to create life itself! Watch this.


Hmm, that was not quite the experimental result I expected. But never mind that! It is merely a momentary setback in the annals of SCIENCE ! I shall readjust the Magnetic Electrical Stimulation System and try again another day!
But you just zapped yourself!
Never mind that! The failure of my M.E.S.S. was a shocking experience, but science cannot be deterred! Understanding and harnessing the power of nature is just one aspect of science. By observing and performing experiments based on the observations, the scientist increases our understanding of the world around us. For instance, based just on this failed experiment, I have come to the conclusion that lightning is electrical in nature, which would put it in the realm of Fire. Fortunately, there have been an increasing number of storms here lately, so I have been able to harness some of the lighting and store it for experimental use. I am convinced that the primal force of life is electrical in nature. Of course it must also involve Water for life and Pizza (without which life would be boring).
“Harness some lightning?” You can do that?
It is a great deal easier than trying to ride the lightning, I can assure you!
What?
Nothing. So why have you come in today?
I’m here for my potions, doc.
Is that all? Ah well. Here are the Universal Poison Antidote and Healing Drink.
Hey, I didn’t ask last time, but I don’t suppose you do dispel potions, do you? They keep turning up for me.
“Dispel?” What, exactly, would the elixir be dispelling?
Um…spells?
*Sigh* This is a sad, ignorant land where everyone seems to think more of “magic” than of science. Still, it is a good place for a scientist to work. There are many fascinating monsters to study and I can get all the dead bodies I need.
Dude, not cool!
Oh very well, we shall cease discussing my own materials gathering. How about you? I have some time to discuss your adventures, if you still wish to do so.
…Fine. But don’t let me catch you near the graveyard. Let’s see…my first adventures took place in Spielburg last spring. I’ve calmed down some since then, but at the time I was still pretty easy to work up. If the baronet hadn’t teleported out, I just might have…

*Hours Pass*

…which is when I saw the damnedest thing I have ever seen, to this day. I think the guildmaster called it an “antwerp.” I tried stabbing it, but I think that only made it mad, ‘cause it jumped clear up into the sky, and didn’t come back down until I gave up and tried to walk away. Luckily, I pulled my sword out just in time and it fell on and exploded into a bunch of littler antwerps!
Ah, so you are the Spielburg Hero! I went there on an antwerp-gathering expedition a few months ago. The people there are still talking about your adventures. You know, antwerps are a truly fascinating species. They reproduce by splitting into a number of tiny antwerps, each with their own genetic code. They cannot split voluntarily, however; they only reproduce when cut or stabbed.
Uh, yeah, I am the Spielburg Hero. Haven’t I told you that, like, twice now?
I’m sorry, but I have little attention for anything beyond science. But do continue.
Alright. Well, I don’t know much about science, but I met a few magic users in Spielburg. First there was this Erasmus guy, and a gargoyle I met way too often…

*More Hours Pass*

…So I whipped out the little magic mirror and hoped that she would aim at my chest, ‘cause the thing was way too small if she had just pointed a little lower. But sure enough, it reflected and hit her square, turning her into a little purple frog! She was still pretty powerful, though, because she immediately teleported me out and set the house to flying away.
Turned her into a frog? Such poppycock! There is a perfectly straightforward scientific explanation for all those events. There is no such thing as magic!
Whatever, man. All I know is that I’ve seen a lot more of one than of the other.
All you have seen are scientific phenomena which have yet to be thoroughly analyzed and explained.
Okay. Bye, doc.
Goodbye Nike. Perhaps I should wait a day or two before resuming my Frankie experiment. It is very important that the right person stay in charge here.


Hero’s March. This theme is the extent to which the Hero’s Theme plays in this game, and like the original it only plays the first time you leave the town.

Hey, corn. I should test out some of these spells. Fetch the corn!

Since you’re far too sophisticated a spellcaster to do something mundane like walking over to a corn stalk and picking an ear, you try the Fetch spell instead. Unfortunately, Fetch doesn’t work very well on things that are attached together. It seems you’ll have to pick your corn the boring, old-fashioned way after all.

Aw man.


For the purposes of directions, I am calling this the “town screen.” Mordavia is set up a lot like Spielburg, so I’m going to give directions to each location as we visit it again.


The Graveyard. The graveyard is one screen south, two east, and one more north.

The majestic mountains in the background provide a beautiful contrast to the grim gravestones and crypts of the cemetery.

Looks like the graveyard hasn’t changed much since I’ve been gone. I wonder whose grave Igor is digging there?


…Hey Al. I’m back in town again. It looks like most everyone still remembers what I did, and how you died because of it. Hey, though, I’ve become a hero, just like we promised each other! Heck, I’m a paladin now, which apparently means that I’m being haunted by the ghost of Dmitri’s grandfather, who wants me to fix the whole valley. I saved a baron’s daughter from brigands, dealt with Baba Yaga herself, and heck, I killed two wizards who were trying to take over the world! It’s just like all the stories. I just wish you were here to have all the fun too. You know, it’s kind of funny when you think of how much time we spent hanging out here, laughing at the epitaphs…

“Mikhail Mehd
Bumped his Head
In another Man’s Bed
Now he’s Dead. RIP”

“Here lies the spirit of Barnie Blue
To his lover was untrue
So she knew just what to do—
Fixed herself a Barnie Stew.”

“Here lies the body of Kari Naishon,
Who answered a Vampire’s invitation.
Now there’s cause for lamentation
It was a fatal recreation.”

I know I shouldn’t have left you alone that night. There have always been stories of people disappearing in the night, but I guess I figured they were all trying to scare kids like us. I wish I had listened. I wish I hadn’t dared you. I wish…but it’s too late for wishes now.

Alexi Ghere
Walked at night.
Alexi saw his final sight.
Now the question seems to be—
What in the world did Alex see?


Escaping Battle. This plays whenever something is chasing you, whether you’re running or not.

Oh, awesome, I have been needing a good fight!


Necrotaur Battle

I hate necrotaurs. The damn things always charge at you when you’re at any distance at all, and I have no idea how to duck or avoid the charge at all, and I kind of doubt it’s possible. A charge can be stopped by damaging the necrotaur before he reaches you, either with throwing daggers or spells, but this isn’t much comfort to a fighter or a paladin who wasted all his mana earlier in practice.

Who’s bad? I’m bad!


Erana’s Garden. Directions: one south, two east, two more south, another east, then one north of the town screen. The location can only be accessed from the south end.

You have come to a beautiful garden deep within the forest. A stream flows gently in a loop around the central island. Feelings of peace and harmony permeate the area.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been here, but now for once I think I know who made this place. Erana was here; there’s no doubt about it.

Erana also made this a perfect spot to practice magic. Glide can be practiced on the streams, the stone lamps can be lit and put out with Trigger. However, if you try to light the near lamp by hand, you might discover this:


You discover 30 crowns hidden there. You accept it as a gift from Erana.

You now have more than enough crowns to win the game, however long you wish to take.

Wow! I wish I had known about these earlier. I could have gotten all kinds of things. Well, I can use it now, too. Thank you, Erana. Now, how about these fruit? I’d forgotten about this tree, but I guess they work just like they did back in Erana’s Peace.


As you approach the tree, the fruit vanishes. Must be that low-calorie kind.

What the—hey! Now I remember! None of us kids could get a single damn fruit off of this tree! Stupid disappearing fruit. Bah, at least I can still pick some flowers.


Hmm, I just got an idea. What if I left for a second…


…And then Fetched some fruit?


Ha, it worked!

Like the two potions, only one fruit is available per day, but it only costs the mana used to Fetch it from the tree. Next to the potions is the sandwich, followed by the dagger, an empty flask, the keychain (and not a special item, either: they just give it to you), chainmail, the shield, the sword, flint, garlic, the sign we pulled off the archway, corn, flowers, and the torch.

There’s still a lot of daylight left; I’ll keep exploring.


Directions: two west and one north from the town screen.

A heavy gate blocks the way to the winding road. Far in the distance you can see a majestic castle.

Welcome to Mordavia. It’s nice to have some fresh blood around here. We so seldom see—Ilya? Is that you?
P-papa?!
Ilya, when did you get back? It’s been so long since we were able to talk.
Papa? But Mama said you were—_{wait, she never actually said you were}—damn it, Ma, you always do this!
Please don’t tell your mother where I am.
What? Why? She must be worried sick about you!
Please, Ilya, can you promise your dear father not to tell her you found me?
No promises. I have to honor my word these days, and I might just tell her where you are anyway. What are you even doing here?


Boris Stovich, perhaps better known as Boris Karloff. Of course, to get a better idea of what the VA was going for, you’re better off listening to The Monster Mash.

You’re guarding the gate? Why?
The new owners of Borgov castle value their privacy, and I am here to make certain that only welcome guests may enter through here in the daytime.
And at night?
At night, this gate is guarded by huge necrotaurs who make certain no one tries to enter without permission.
Necrotaurs? And you don’t think there’s something wrong with using necrotaurs as guards?
Why not? They are certainly quite fierce.
Yeah, so what does it take to tame them? How could they even know who is welcome and who isn’t?
I don’t try to question the Master. Is it not said that “he who questions his income shall soon see it disappear?”
No, Pa, that’s mostly just you.
Are you questioning where I get my words of wisdom?
No, Pa. I’m going back to town now.
Goodbye, Ilya, and “may the fireplace be warm and the drink cold at your journey’s end.” And don’t tell your mother where I am!
No promises!