JESTER QUEST
By Mark and Louise Cantrell
Zenobi Software
Spectrum 128
While this is an interesting game, it suffers from what appears to be too much
of the authors’ frustrations and opinions about their government, marketing
their game, etc. The description of the protagonist is rather pejorative (this
is really unnecessary – so the hero is a dolt – does this matter?) It also
requires a lot of retracing steps, even if you know what you are doing. A plus
is that you are told your objective early in the game.
There are some tricky puzzles. For example you come across two cauldrons, which
would lead you to believe you need to put something INTO them. But which objects
into which cauldron?
Hints:
While you can TELL JOKE when you meet most people, the only time this is really
necessary is when you meet Pillock, as this will eventually give you an object
you will need. And you need to do it again closer to the end, when you need to
get past the guard to get to the King.
You can carry quite a few objects though it depends on their weight.
While it is possible to visit the lab (where you need to deposit the ingredients
mentioned in the list for the Secret of Laughter) before you have some or all of
the ingredients, it seems to be best to have Xel with you first.
There are several locations where you just need to WAIT for something to happen.
You may need to explore (and die) before you know what to do. So SAVE and
RESTORE often.
There are two objects you can carry and put things into (the cage, the pot).
To get people to follow your instructions, SAY “<direction/action>” TO <person>.
Once you have the boots, don’t take them off.
Where to use the rose? When you are in Grizelda’s presence. There are two things
to put into her cauldron. Work quickly.
You need to work quickly at the dentist’s. Put him out of commission, then
SEARCH the dentist to get the object you need.
Red herrings: the rejection letter, cage (unless you wish to carry something in
it).pad, both books, sword, the people in the theatre, the BP shares.
In order to get the dragon fluid (on your list of ingredients), you need to get
past the dragon. In order to do so, you need two objects – one to put him to
sleep and one to put out his breath. For the latter, you need the soda. For the
former, you need a bow, an arrow (doctored with a sleeping potion) which you
need to fire at the dragon.
What is the sleeping potion? The dragon’s bane implies that this is necessary.
So you need to get that first. How to do that? Once you have the seeds; you need
to grow them (with fertilizer and a pot), then PULL it (out of the pot), then
CRUSH it. Once you have it in a “workable” state, you need to utilize it. It
goes on the arrow. Put it on the arrow by DIP-ing the arrow into it. Then use
the arrow (with the bow, of course).
Don’t enter the job centre.
How to dispose of Znarl? Have him follow you, by retreating. Eventually he will
die.
The only thing the crucifix is good for is to avoid the zombie’s attacks. You
can drop it once you are out, if you don’t need to go there again.
What to do with the priest? He is useful. Someone is eager for a meal. You need
to give the priest some direction and then follow him. SAY PRIEST “GO <a
direction>” and then follow him.
What to do with Abnormo? See the above hint.
How to get Xel to follow you? Give her the cake. But first pretend she is
Sleeping Beauty. Yes, KISS her (no more). She will do as you say. To get her to
follow you SAY “COME” TO XEL. To get her to remain, SAY “STAY” TO XEL.
How to get up the pipe? You need to be bigger. EAT the biscuit.
You need to drain the lake to get to the sword. To drain the lake you need to
eat something and then PULL CHAIN. You don’t need the sword. Remember to pull it
OUT, then REDESCRIBE and take what you find. Where can you use it? It should be
obvious from its description.
What to do when Grizelda shoots you? Put the rose and the manifesto into the
cauldron. Work quickly.
How to deal with the guards who attack you? RING BELL/ALARM on the battlements
first.
The can of ale will get you into Smurkin’s house. Drink it at the white cliffs.
Solution:
INVENTORY (you have a rejection letter and are wearing a jester hat and suit). A
pink elephant, your godmother, arrives and tells you your objective - you need
to defeat the Userper. Your jokes will require an extra boost – the Secret of
Laughter. You need to present the necessary items to Smurkin. His daughter, Xel,
has been kidnapped by Grizelda and held in her lodge. So, you need to find the
ingredients for the spell and rescue Xel and present them to Smurkin), INVENTORY
(you have a list), READ LIST {the ingredients for the spell are fire of dragon
(dragon fluid), feather of Pie (Tweety Pie’s), tooth of orc, and a mould of
bone; eventually you are thrown out}, READ LETTER, DROP LETTER, EXAMINE SIGN
(job centre – don’t go there), S, E, S, IN (you see a dentist and a cylinder of
laughing gas).
EXAMINE CYLINDER (you notice a lever), PULL LEVER (the dentist collapses),
SEARCH DENTIST (you get the pliers), OUT, N, W, N, N, N, IN, TAKE POT, EXAMINE
POT (larger inside than out – that means it can hold things), S, TAKE ROSE,
EXAMINE ROSE, TAKE SEEDS, EXAMINE SEEDS (they need fertilizer to grow), N, SAY
JOKE (Pillock dies), SEARCH PILLOCK (you get the Manifesto), EXAMINE MANIFESTO,
OUT, S, S, NE, S, E (you see a gnome), EXAMINE GNOME (he is wearing boots), PUSH
GNOME, REDESCRIBE, TAKE BOOTS, EXAMINE BOOTS, WEAR BOOTS, W, N, NE, E, E, SW, S,
S, EXAMINE KNIGHT, EXAMINE ARMOUR, TAKE ARMOUR, DRINK WATER (if you wish), N,
NE, E, NE, E (at the well where you see a rope ladder and hear a groan from
inside).
CLIMB LADDER, E, NE, W, W (the king has a toothache), PULL TOOTH, TAKE TOOTH,
E, E, SW, W, DROP PLIERS, CLIMB LADDER, W, N, N, E, E, NE, W, IN, TAKE SPADE,
OUT, E, SW, W (you are warned about Abnormo), W, N, E, IN, W you see a priest),
EXAMINE PRIEST, SAY “EAST” TO PRIEST (he follows the directive), E, SAY “OUT” TO
PRIEST, OUT, SAY “WEST” TO PRIEST, W, SAY “SOUTH” TO PRIEST, S, SAY “EAST”TO
PRIEST, E, SAY “EAST TO PRIEST, E, SAY “NORTHEAST” TO PRIEST, NE, SAY “EAST” TO
PRIEST, E, SAY SOUTHWEST TO PRIEST, (Abnormo kills him), SW, IN, EXAMINE ABNORMO
(sleeping), TAKE CRUCIFIX, OUT, E, E, N, DIG, TAKE BONE, DROP SPADE, S, W, W,
NE, W (the Zombie stays away), SW, W, W, S, S, SW, W, N, NW, W, N, N, E, E.
TAKE BOTTLE, TAKE FIGS, EXAMINE BOTTLE, EXAMINE FIGS (laxative),W, SE, UP (you
see an alarm bell), RING BELL (the guards run out), DOWN, NW, W, IN, TAKE CAN,
EXAMINE CAN (lighter than air), OUT, E, S, EXAMINE UNICORN, GIVE FIGS TO
UNICORN, REDESCRIBE, TAKE DUNG, N, W, S, S, E, SE, NE, N, N, NE, TAKE BOW, TAKE
ARROW, EXAMINE BOW, EXAMINE ARROW, SW, W, N, E, IN, E, UP, PUT SEEDS INTO POT,
PUT DUNG INTO POT, WAIT (until there is a loud flash and you get a clump of
Dragonbane), LOOK POT, TAKE BANE FROM POT, CRUSH BANE, DOWN, W, DIP ARROW INTO
BANE, DROP BOW, DROP ARROW, DROP BANE, DROP POT, DROP CRUCIFIX, OUT, W, S, NW,
W, IN, EXAMINE SHELF, W, N (you see Znarl and a bell).
EXAMINE BELL, RING BELL, S, (Znarl follows), E, OUT, E (Znarl dies), W, IN, W,
N, W (you see a cat, a door, a stool), TAKE STOOL, EXAMINE STOOL, E, S, E, DROP
STOOL, CLIMB ON STOOL, TAKE KEY, TAKE SODA, DOWN, W, N, W, TAKE CAT, UNLOCK
DOOR, OPEN DOOR, IN (there is a cat-bird fight), REDESCRIBE, TAKE FEATHER, OUT,
E, S, E, OUT, E, SE, E, S, S, E, S, SW, W, N, S, S, E, S, E, UP, UP, EXAMINE
CORPSE, DROP KEY, RING BELL, WAIT (until Igor opens the door), UP, N, E, S, S,
S, READ SIGN (beware of gorgon), WEAR ARMOUR, UP (you destroy the gorgon), N, N
(Grizelda pulls a gun wand at you and fires it; you see a cupboard and a
cauldron), PUT ROSE INTO CAULDRON, PUT MAIFESTO INTO CAULDRON (it erupts and
Grizelda fades away).
LOOK CUPBOARD, TAKE ALL FROM CUPBOARD, EXAMINE CAKE (don’t eat me), EXAMINE
BISCUIT (eat me), REMOVE ARMOUR, DROP ARMOUR, E, EXAMINE XEL, KISS XEL, GIVE
CAKE TO XEL, SAY “COME” TO XEL (she will follow you), W, S, S, DOWN, N, N, N, W,
S, DOWN (Igor explodes into BP shares), OUT, DOWN, DOWN, W, N, W, N, N, NE, N,
N, W, N, E, IN, SAY “STAY” TO XEL, E, UP, NW, DOWN, PULL CHAIN (you can’t reach
it), EAT BISCUIT, PULL CHAIN (you drain the lake), UP, SE, E, N (you see a
sword), EXAMINE SWORD, PULL SWORD OUT (Merlin appears and takes the sword),
REDESCRIBE, TAKE MICA, EXAMINE MICA (heat-resistant), S, W, DOWN, W, TAKE BOW,
TAKE ARROW, TAKE ALE, W, IN, FIRE ARROW, EXAMINE DRAGON, FIRE SODA AT DRAGON, W,
FILL BOTTLE, LOOK BOTTLE (full of Dragon fluid).
Go E, OUT, E, SAY “COME” TO XEL, OUT, W, S, E, NE, E, E, UP, UP, DRINK ALE, IN,
S, EXAMINE FIREPLACE, EXAMINE STICK, NE, EXAMINE BOOK (secret passage and unlit
candle), SW, PULL STICK (you create a passage), S, E (Xel and Smurkin meet and
eventually he gets around to paying attention to you; he says to bring the spell
ingredients and he will make the spell; he gives you a “return” spell), POUR
BOTTLE INTO CAULDRON, DROP BOTTLE, PUT FEATHER INTO CAULDRON, PUT BONE INTO
CAULDRON, PUT TOOTH INTO CAULDRON, WAIT (until the Secret is in your hands), W,
N, N, OUT, S, DOWN, DOWN, W, W, SW, S, S, E, S, SW, W, N, NW, W, N, N, E, NW,
UP, SAY JOKE, IN, SAY JOKE.
Score: 100%.
Terri Sheehan
2009-10-24
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