Quest for Glory: So You Want to be a Hero is the first game in the five part Quest for Glory series. It brings together elements of classic adventure gaming with role playing and character development. It was originally called Hero’s Quest but the name was changed over conflicts with the Games Workshop board game of the same name.

Quest for Glory was first released in 1989 and a VGA remake was later released in 1992. The VGA version features hand-drawn backgrounds although many players still prefer the charm and freedom of the original EGA version.

Quest for Glory Character Creation

When you start a new game you can choose between a Fighter, Magic-User or Thief. The fighter is the easiest to play and uses brute strength to get through any challenges. The mage needs to find and practice the right spells while the thief uses guile and trickery to get ahead.

The most important attributes for a fighter are Strength and Vitality. You’ll also want high Agility and Weapon Use as secondary attributes. The mage needs high intelligence and magic to cast spells successfully. Adding a few points to Vitality and Strength will make sure your mage stays alive a little longer in a fight. The thief has points in just about all abilities and focuses on Strength, Vitality, Weapon Use, Agility and Luck.

Spielburg

When you begin the game the Sheriff will greet you as you enter the small town of Spielburg. If you’re playing the VGA version all the dialogue options will be available. If you’re playing the original you’ll need to figure out what to ask. Ask the Sheriff about the Town, Brigands and the Merchant.

To the left of the Sheriff’s Office is the Hero’s Tale Inn. Go in and talk to Shameen. Ask him about the merchant Abdulla. He tells you that he’ll be in for supper so you’ll have to come back later to talk to him. Leave the inn and walk to the west.

On this side of town you have the Magic Shop, little-old lady’s house and the Adventurer’s Guild. If you have some skill in Magic enter the Magic Shop and talk to Zara. Offer her some coins and buy the Fetch spell. When you have more gold you can come back for the Flame Dart and Open spells.

If it’s getting close to night head back to the Inn and speak to the Merchant, Abdulla. He’ll tell you about the Brigands, their Leader and the “Warlock”. If you still have some time left in the day skip down to “Outskirts of Town” and start exploring the nearby areas.

Thief’s Quest

If you’re a Thief wait until it’s dark and make your way to the back alley. Something is glimmering towards the back of the alley. Walk towards it and two thieves will jump out. Show them the thief sign by clicking on them with the hand icon or showing them your lockpicks. They’ll tell you the password to get into the thieve’s guild under the tavern.

Head next door and talk to Crusher the Goon guarding the trapdoor. Ask him about the Thieves’ Guild and tell him the password to be let in. Talk to the Chief Thief and when he’s finished go up to the door at the back and buy the Thief License from Boris. You can come back here and sell your goods to Boris once you’ve finished looting the town.

The easiest door to pick is the door to the Little Old Lady’s house next to Zara’s Magic Shop. Sneak up to her door and pick the lock. Once inside take the Candlesticks from the table. Search the desk, the purse on the couch and then the couch for Silver. Look in the basket at the end of the couch for a String of Pearls. If you try to walk up the stairs the little old lady will hear you. Don’t get too close to the cat but you can feed it for a few extra points.

Sneak out of the house and make your way around to the Hilde’s stand. Just to the left is the Sheriff’s red/pink brick house. This door is harder to pick so you may need to improve your Lock Picking skill a little before attempting it.

Make sure you’re sneaking before entering the Sheriff’s house and take the Music Box from the table and the Candelabra from the desk. Search the desk for a few more Silver and then take the Vase from the fireplace. If you’re playing the VGA version you’ll put it down on the floor first so remember to pick it up before you leave.

Move the picture on the wall to find a hidden safe behind it. Pick the lock on the safe and open it to find a Bag of Money. Close the safe and return the picture to it’s original position.

When you are done thieving head back down to the Thieves’ Guild and sell your items to Boris for a large profit.

Outskirts of Town

Just outside of the town gates, one screen to the north, you’ll find the Healer’s Hut. She buys potion ingredients,…, and is offering a reward to anyone who finds her lost ring. Just outside of the hut you’ll see the culprit, a lizard-bird sitting in a nest.

Thief/Fighter: Throw rocks at the nest to scare away the bird, then climb the tree to pick up the ring.
Magic-User: Cast Fetch on the nest.

When you have the Ring take it back to the healer for your reward of 6 Gold and 2 Healing Potions.

Just to the north of the hut you’ll find the Baron’s Castle. Speak to Karl at the gate. He likes to talk and has information about many things. When you are done click on the gate (VGA) or ask Karl to open the gate (EGA). To the left is the barracks and to the right the stables. If you arrive early enough in the morning the stable master will give you a job. It’s useful for increasing some of your stats and earning a little bit of Silver.

The Sword Master can also be found in the morning practicing his swordplay. If you’re a fighter, or have the Parry ability, you can train with him to increase your weapon skill. The guard at the barracks to the left and the two guards at the castle entrance won’t have much to say to you.

Just north of town, west of the healer, you’ll find the Centaur working in his farm. He’s only there during the day but he’s happy to stop and have a chat with you, especially about the Brigands and their Leader.

To the south of town you’ll find the Archery Range. You need to approach it from the south as the sides are blocked off. If you’re a Thief you can come here and practice your dagger throwing skill.

The Graveyard is outside the walls to the west of town. Visiting the area is lethal unless you have the Undead Ungeant salve from the healer, but more on that later.

Two screens east of the Town Gates you may find a Fox with it’s leg caught in a trap. Release it and it will give you some important information about what to do.

The Forest

There are many sights to see in the forest but for most of them you’ll need a higher skill level or certain items. During the day you may encounter Goblins or Brigands. During the night far worse monsters roam about.

From the Centaur’s farm head west once and north three times. This takes you to the Spitting Spirea flowers. During the day they’ll be spitting some kind of seed to each other. If you have the Climbing skill you can climb up the rock wall next to the center flower and grab the Seed as they pass it to each other. Magic-Users will need to use the Fetch spell. You’ll need quite a high level of Fetch/Magic skill to grab the seed so keep practicing.

From the flowers walk east, north, east and north to Erana’s Peace. Pick up some Flowers from the ground to sell to the Healer and eat some fruit to satisfy your hunger. If you get caught out in the forest at night you can always run here for a safe place to sleep. Sleeping here will fully restore your Health, Stamina and Magic.

The Dryad & the Hermit

From the Centaur’s farm head west three times to the Goblin Training Ground. You might spot Goblins hiding in bushes and behind trees. Each time you come here there’ll be more Goblins to fight. This is a good place to practice your fighting skills for all three classes. You’ll also make some money by looting the Goblins after the battle.

Continue south and west twice to find little creatures known as Meeps. They like to hide under rocks. Try talking to them and they’ll all go underground to have a conference about you. The Green Meep will eventually come up and talk to you. Ask about Fur and his Green Fur and he’ll give you some of his Green Fur. This will be used later for a potion.

Magic-Users: Ask the Meep about Magic and Scrolls and he’ll give you a Detect Magic Scroll.

When you are done talking to the Meep head east twice and south once to the Fairy Ring. During the day the Fairies won’t be active but you can still pick up some Mushrooms to sell to the Healer.

When you walk to the south you’ll spot a Stag. It bounces away when you try to get close to it. Follow it off the screen to the west.

This is the Dryad’s Tree. It’s a good place to rest but not as peaceful as Erana’s Peace. Walk up to the tree and the Dryad will show herself. She says that she’s the protector of the forest and that she wants a Seed from the Spitting Spirea flowers to the north. If you have it already you can give it to her now. In return she tells you the ingredients for a Remove Curse potion and drops one of the ingredients, a Magic Acorn. Make sure you pick it up before you leave.

When you are done talking to her head all the way to the east. You’ll spot a door in the side of the rock face. This is the Hermit’s house.

Thief: Climb up the side of rock face to the ledge with the door.
Fighter: Pick up Rocks and throw them at the door. When you hit the door three times the Hermit will come out and see spot you.
Magic-User: Cast a Detect Magic spell and the ladder will be revealed for a few seconds. Climb up the place where you saw the ladder.

If you climbed up to the ledge knock on the door. Make sure you move a little to the right before the Hermit opens the door or you’ll be knocked off the ledge. The Hermit likes to talk so you can ask him about a range of topics.

Magic-Users: Ask the Hermit about the Ladder and Magic. He offers to give you the Trigger Scroll.

When you leave the cave the Hermit offers you a place to stay the night in exchange for a few Rations and a game of Cribbage. You can come back here to sleep if you get caught out in the forest at night.

Before you leave here make sure you use Flask on the falls for Flying Water, one of the ingredients of the remove curse potion.

Magic-User: Make sure you go back to Zara’s Magic Shop for the Open and Flame Dart spell when you have the money. You can work at the Stables or kill Goblins for extra Silver Coins. Make your way back to Erana’s Peace and use the Open spell to open the slab of rock. Underneath you’ll find the Calm Scroll.

Erasmus

From the Town Gates go east once, north 3 times and east twice. Walk up the path to the top of the mountain. Once you reach the tower a Gargoyle will ask you three questions. These are usually pretty simple but if you get kicked out of the tower and come back the questions will be more difficult.

Here are the possible questions and answers:

Your Name: (your name)
Your Quest: “I want Glory”, “I want to be a Hero”
Favourite color: “Purple”
Whose spell protects: “Erana”
Who you seek: “Erasmus”
Baron’s name: “Stefan”
Thieves password: “I don’t know”
Meaning of Life: “42”
Unladen swallow: “African or European?”

When you enter the house go straight up the stairs. If you’re a magic-user Erasmus will challenge you to a game of the Mage’s Maze. I found this virtually impossible to win on the VGA version. Erasmus can’t even complete the maze so I think it’s broken. It’s probably possible with the EGA version. For instructions on how to play see the Quest for Glory Correspondence Course. If you do manage to beat Erasmus then he’ll give you the Dazzle Scroll.

Ask Erasmus about everything. He has lots of information about Baba Yaga, Curses and Magic. When you’re done talking stand up and Erasmus will teleport you back to the bottom of the mountain.

Free the Man from in the Beast

The Ogre Cave can be found one screen to the south and east of Erana’s Peace. You’ll immediately be attacked by an Ogre. If you’re playing the VGA version you can probably run around it but if you kill it it drops a chest. The calm spell also works on the Ogre.

Fighter: Smash the chest.
Thief: Pick the lock on the chest.
Magic-User: Cast Open to unlock the chest.

Enter the cave. A bear rears up when you get close to it. Either cast the Calm spell or give it some food. Continue past the bear to the next room. You’ll see a Kobold sleeping on a rock with a Key around it’s neck.

Fighter: Walk (you can’t run in the cave because of the slippery floor) up to the Kobold and attack. When it’s killed take the key. Walk around the bottom of the cave until you find the invisible chest. Break it open and take the treasure.
Thief: Sneak up and steal the key. Sneak around the bottom of the cave until you bump into an invisible chest. Pick the lock and steal the treasure.
Magic-User: Cast Fetch to grab the key. If the Kobold wakes up quickly walk back towards the bear. If you have high Magic and Flame Dart skill cast Flame Dart and have a magic war with the Kobold. After four or five successful hits the Kobold will die. Take the Key. Cast Detect to find the chest and Trigger to trigger the trap. Walk down and pick up the treasure.

Either way you should have a Key. Use the key on the shackle around the bears leg. Once it’s free it will transform into Baronet.

Return to the Castle and you’ll be invited in for an evening dinner with the Baron and Baronet. This is your chance to ask the Baron any questions you may have. Walk off the screen and you’ll automatically have dinner and stay the night in the castle. In the morning you’ll be 50 Gold richer.

Baba Yaga

With all the extra gold you should be able to buy everything you need. Head over to the healer’s hut and purchase the Undead Unguent. From the healer’s go east three times to meet a Frost Giant called Brauggi. He wants food after his long journey. Purchase 50 Apples and give them to him in exchange for a Glowing Gem.

From the Centaur’s farm head west three times and north twice. Talk to the Skull on the gate. It wants something to make it’s eyes glow. Give it the Glowing Gem and it will let you in. Before going through the gate speak to the hut and say the magic rhyme “Hut of brown, now sit down.”

Go through the door and talk to Baba Yaga. She turns you into a frog but agrees to release you if you gather some Mandrake Root for her. You need to do this within one day. Mandrake Root can only be found at midnight in the graveyard.

Wander around until it gets dark. You’ll know the time is right when you get the message “You are getting tired”. Use the Undead Unguent on yourself and enter the graveyard. Quickly pick up the Mandrake Root and leave.

Return to Baba Yaga’s hut and say the rhyme again. Enter the hut and she’ll take the Mandrake Root. As a reward she lets you live.

Remove Curse Potion

The Dryad should have given you the ingredients for a remove curse potion when you gave her the Seed. She also drops one of the ingredients, the Magic Acorn. The other ingredients are Flying Water from the waterfalls outside the Hermet’s cave, Green Fur from the Meeps, Flowers from Erana’s Peace and Fairy Dust.

To find Fairy Dust visit the fairy circle at night. It’s one screen east and north of the Dryad’s tree. Don’t enter the fairy circle or the fairies will get mad. When they ask you dance for them. While they’re still interested in you hold up an empty flask to one of them. They should shake off some Fairy Dust for you. You can also talk to them until they get bored of you.

Take all the ingredients back and give them to the Healer. Leave and come back again and she’ll have turned them into a Dispel Potion.

Bring the Child from the Band

There are two ways into the Brigand’s camp, through the front door or through a side entrance. For the sneaky way in head to the tavern and read the Note on the floor. It says something about a meeting at the archery range. Quickly head out of town and go to the archery range. Approach it from the side so you’re behind the bushes.

Two men will be having a conversation about a side entrance to the brigand’s camp. Both of them have keys and you’ll also overhear the password. When Bruno leaves wait a while. You definitely don’t want to meet him out in the forest.

Side Entrance

Fighter: Approach the archery range from the south and fight the other brigand. Take the Key once he’s dead.
Thief: Kill the brigand if you want, or go to the secret entrance and pick the lock before pushing open the door.
Magic-User: You can also kill the brigand for the key but the Open spell should work just as well.

From the Town Gates head south twice, west three times and south once. You’ll see the “bouncy” guard. When you approach the rock face it moves out of the way. Examine the rock to see a lock. Use the Key on the lock or cast the Open spell. Speak to the rock door and say “Hiden Goseke” and then push open the rock door. Fred, the Troll on the other side will move out of the way.

Once inside the cave walk around to the bottom opening and go outside. This leads you straight to a Minotaur guarding a large gate!

Fighter: Fight the beast.
Thief: Wait until night time and sneak through the bushes.
Magic-User: Cast calm and the Minotaur should go to sleep.

Well, the Minotaur is out of the way but we still need to get through the gate.

Fighter: Break the gate by smashing into it.
Thief: Climb over the rocks by the gate on either side. You can also climb over the gate itself but you’ll need a much higher climbing skill.
Magic-User: Cast Open.

Brigand’s Fortress

If the brigand’s don’t know you’re here you won’t have to worry about them firing arrows at you from the windows. If you stormed the front entrance you’ll need to run quickly through this room.

There are traps everywhere here. One false move will mean starting over. Look at the tripwire towards the back of the room. Just noticing it will mean you’ll step over it rather than trip on it.

Run around to the left and then over the bridge to the right. Step over the tripwire and head through the back door.

Mess Hall

Quickly close the door and wait by the chair to the left. After a few seconds the brigands will look through the window in the door. As soon as they’ve left the screen push the chair in front of the door.

The brigands will come enter through the door to the left. Wait for them to run behind the table and push over the candlestick to block their path. As they run back jump on the table. When they get close on the front side of the table grab onto the rope.

You’ll swing across and knock them all down. The chandelier will then drop on their heads. Quickly open the door to the north before more brigands arrive.

Warlock’s Maze

The warlock sits at the back of the room. Have a chat with him and ask him about Elsa or Yorrick. He’ll realize you’re here to help but he still doesn’t tell you how to get past the maze.

Walk to the right and you’ll fall down. As you’re rolling along the path stand up again or you’ll just keep rolling. Go through the passage to the right to end up on the left side. Pull the chain to open the door to the top right. Go back to the left and walk up the path through the door you just opened.

This takes you to the top left corner. There’s a small door here but when you try to open it the whole door falls down crushing you. Try to open the small door and quickly move to the left to get out of the way. When the door falls down stand on it and open the door behind it.

Brigand Leader

When you enter this room the brigand leader, Elsa, will jump out at you. Quickly throw the Dispel Potion at her to break the curse. She’ll remember who she is and she and Yorrick will teleport back to the castle.

Make sure you pick up the Magic Mirror and Healing Potions from the table and go through the secret passage to the top right side of the screen.

Drive the Cursor from the Land

If you head back to the castle now the game will end. Instead from the Antwerp walk north five times, west and north to Baba Yaga’s hut. Tell the hut the rhyme and go inside. Baba Yaga will try to turn you into a frog one last time but this time you’re ready for her. Grab the Magic Mirror and use it on her. The spell will backfire and Baba Yaga will be turned into an ugly-looking frog. She still has some magic power left and teleports you out of the hut and flies away.

Once the land is free of Baba Yaga and the Baroness has been rescued you’ll automatically be taken to the final cut-scene. Congratulations on completing Quest for Glory: So You Want to be a Hero!